A/N: Hey guys! This is my first ever fanfic! I wrote this story based on a challenge given by whencowsfly06. The challenge is over, but I decided to use one of the prompts to get started.
Prompt: "Why, *character name*, why?"
Word count: 2838
So, on with the story!
"Why, James, why?"
Peter Pettigrew rolled on the floor of the dorm room with laughter as Sirius Black wailed his misery for the world to hear.
"Pray tell," a bemused Remus Lupin asked, arms crossed over his chest. "How exactly did this happen?"
The three boys were staring at a very pink, half-dressed teenaged disaster. His back and neck were covered in pink fur, his limb ending in cloven hooves. But even with his antlers and half-snout, it was still evident that the figure sitting before them was James Potter.
"I'VE NEVER BEEN MORE EMBARRASSED IN MY ENTIRE LIFE!" Sirius threw his arms over his head.
"We','' James started, his words slurred due to the shape of his snout. "I wash twying t' wowk on a pwoje'."
This sent Peter into another laughing fit.
"A project." Remus deadpanned. "And, which professor would assign a project that could result in this?" He gestured to the tail sticking out of James' pants.
"MY REPUTATION, IN TATTERS! NEVER TO BE HEALED AGAIN!" Sirius threw himself onto his bed, one arm draped dramatically over his eyes.
"I' washa pewshona' pwoje'?" James grimaced at his own explanation.
"A personal project?" Peter snorted between chuckles. "Since when?"
"I' wash de pwoje'." He stared pointedly at Peter. This sobered him fairly quick.
"Oh, the project." Peter's face drained of color.
"Do I want to know?" Remus sighed.
"You really don't." Peter squeaked.
"MY NAMES IS FOREVER TARNISHED!"
"Tone it down, Sirius!" Remus snapped at the pile of blankets that was now on top of Sirius. He turned back to the half-deer. "That still doesn't explain how this happened."
"Are you really going to make him tell it?" Peter's face was pensive as he stared at James' face. "Speaking looks uncomfortable without, um, lips. Plus, Sirius was there too."
"YES, AND BECAUSE OF MY UNFORTUNATE PRESENCE, I CAN NEVER SHOW MY FACE IN PUBLIC AGAIN!"
"Yes," Remus said in a tone that left no room for argument. "Since Sirius is in no mood to cooperate, James will tell us how this happened. And if talking is as uncomfortable as it appears, perhaps that'll teach him a lesson about unsanctioned 'projects'."
"How about we use…" Peter ran to his trunk and started rummaging through it. "This!" He held up a self-writing quill.
"Whe'd you ge' one o' dosh?" James asked incredulously.
"Oh, um," Peter blushed slightly. "My mum sent it for my last birthday. It'll write out James' thoughts. That way, he won't have to speak."
James enthusiastically nodded his agreement.
"Alright then." Remus agreed. They handed the quill and a spare parchment to James. "Begin your story."
Okay, but how does this work? The quill wrote. Oh, I get it. Okay, so here's what happened. Sirius and I were out in the fields, coz who's going to stay inside on a Saturday? We were sitting by the lake when we decided to work on our sur - I mean project. We memorized the spell beforehand, but we might have gotten it wrong.
"You think?" Peter deadpanned. James gave him a long-suffering look.
Next thing I knew, I was stuck like this! Neither Sirius nor I knew where we went wrong, so we couldn't fix it! I mean, I would have actively tried to undo this, instead of wailing and throwing a fit -
James threw a withering gland at Sirius, who promptly yelled "I CAN STILL FEEL THE GHOST OF MY PRIDE, NEVER TO RETURN AGAIN!"
- but, you know, I can't pick up my wand.
"I imagine that is a little difficult without fingers." Remus smirked. James pouted and clapped his front hooves together.
Speaking of, I dunno where my wand is! Oh well, we'll Summon it later. Point is, I'm stuck like this.
"I see." Remus looked thoughtful. "I'm sure Professor McGonagall can fix you."
"NO!" James, Peter, and Sirius, who was now sitting up on his bed, cried in unison.
"If she even sees James like this, we'll all get expelled!" Sirius waved his arms emphatically.
"At least that made you stop yelling." Peter muttered under his breath.
Remus looked at Sirius sharply.
"What kind of spell would get you expelled if the teachers saw it?"
"That's not what's important right now!" Sirius waved the question aside. "What's important is how we're going to fix James before anyone else sees!"
"Right, so which - wait, 'someone else sees'? Who else has seen James like this?"
IT'S NOT IMPORTANT!
James' quill wrote vigorously.
Sirius grinned mischievously. "How do you think he turned pink?"
Peter and Remus shared a wide-eyed glance.
"Well," Sirius was practically beaming now. "While I was trying to sneak James into the castle, we tried avoiding everyone. But, as James mentioned, everyone is always outside on Saturdays. And who, out of every student in the school, do we run into?"
"Not Snivellus!" Peter gasped.
"No, not Snivellus." Sirius chuckled. "Although, I can only imagine what that would've been like. We ran into someone MUCH worse."
"Quite stalling and out with it already!" Remus rolled his eyes.
"We ran into… EVANS!"
Peter gasped.
"Your kidding!" Remus shook his head in disbelief.
"Nope! She took one look at James and literally fell over laughing! We would've gotten away before she realised how our disaster happened in the first place, but James, here, froze like a deer in broom lights!"
"Broom lights?" Remus asked, confused.
"You know, those lights you attach to the front of your broom so you can see at night?"
"Oh, yes, right. Carry on."
"So, when Evans calmed down, she realized that there isn't a spell - that we're allowed to do, anyways - that could've done this, and threatened to tell McGonagall!"
"Did she?" Peter asked, looking like he was about to panic.
"No. We made her a deal. She was allowed to use one prank spell on the 'perfectly humiliated prankster'" Sirius made finger quotes. "or, she told on us. The results of that particular encounter are before you." He gestured towards the peeved half-deer.
Are you done? The quill wrote. We can still get caught.
"James is right." Remus said, serious at once. "We need to turn James back without getting help from a professor, or being seen by a student. Any ideas?" He looked around at the other Marauders.
"Well," Peter started. "We'll have to do it at night, otherwise we could run into someone."
"A very good point." Remus agreed. "But what about teachers?"
The Invisibility Cloak. James pointed out.
"But Remus just hit a growth spurt and those hooves make you taller." Sirius pointed out. "We can't all fit under the cloak."
They all paused to ponder this predicament.
"What about a disillusion charm?" Peter asked. "It makes stuff look like the things around it, like that lizard thing."
"A chameleon, you mean." Remus mused. "That might actually work."
"Pete!" Sirius stared at the youngest Marauder. "When'd you get so smart?"
Peter's face flushed at the complement.
Getting back on topic, James wrote. Remus, do you know any books that may have something to help?
"There are a couple in the library," Remus grimaced. "But they're fifth year spells."
"When's that ever stopped us?" Sirius said with a mischievous going in his eyes.
"Plus, our fourth year's almost done." Peter chimed in. "That means we're practically fifth year's."
Works for me. James nodded his agreement. Now, who's going to be our lookout?
"Not Peter?" Remus asked.
No, he might fall asleep again.
"Hey!" Said boy yelled indignantly. "That was only once!"
James gave him a pointed look, which Sirius picked up right away.
"James is right. Remus, how about you be our lookout?"
"Me?" Remus looked surprised. "But, don't you need me for the spell?"
Our wandwork's not that bad. James wrote wryly. Our E's and occasional O's must count for something.
Peter still looked confused.
"Well!" Sirius clapped his hands together, not giving Remus the chance to argue. "Now that we have a good plan put together, we best go about our daily tasks. Otherwise, people might think we're up to something!"
Well, James chucked. We are!
"You know what I mean!" Sirius shoved him. "Remus, how about you go down to the library and look for that book. Take Pete with you. I'll stay here coz I'm usually with James everyday."
Actually, James quickly wrote. We'll send Peter down in a minute. You go on, Remy.
"Alright." Remus headed towards the stairs. "See you later!"
The three boys waited until Remus' footsteps faded.
"D'you think Remus will figure out what we're doing?" Peter asked, his face filled with worry.
He might. James wrote. He's scary smart.
"That's why he's going to be our lookout." Sirius pointed out. "That way, we can reverse the Animagus spell without Remus knowing."
We're also sending you to the library to distract him if the topic comes up in a book.
"But what's so wrong about Remus finding out about us becoming Animagi?" Peter asked.
If he finds out about this, James wrote with wide eyes And why we're doing it, he'll freak out!
"He'll go all 'goody two-shoes' on us." Sirius added dryly. "He'll give us the 'it's illegal' lecture and make us swear not to do it!"
And our hard brewed Animagus potion will go to waste. James pouted.
"Oh, okay." Peter nodded. "Then I'd better get going, before Remus finds the Animagus spell!"
It seemed like days had gone by before night came. James and Sirius were bored out of their minds mere hours after Remus and Peter left for the library. And when they returned at curfew, nerves were running high with excitement. James was getting used to the hooves, but the tail still made it uncomfortable to sit. He couldn't wait to have his normal body back.
By ten o'clock, the Marauders were ready to go. Peter had tried, unsuccessfully, to put a shirt on James, but his antlers and hooves made it impossible. So Remus cast a disillusion charm on a still half-dressed half-deer and two fidgety boys, as well as on himself. They carefully made their way down stairs and out the portrait hole. They made it to the library without incident.
"Right," Sirius whispered. "Remus, you stay here. We'll go find that book."
Remus nodded. "Good luck!" He murmured.
Once inside, Sirius reversed the disillusion charms so they could see each other. But before they could do anything else, they heard a sharp gasp behind them. They whipped around to find an annoyed looking Lily Evans beside the Gryffindor ghost, Nearly Headless Nick.
"Evans! Sir Nick!" Sirius put on his Heir Black smile. "Aren't we just tickled pink to see you." He glanced at the pink James, who elbowed him in return.
"What are you doing here?" Evans demanded.
"We migh' ashk you da shame question!" James replied.
"My goodness, James!" Nick, who was quite friendly with the Marauders, gasped. "Whatever happened to you?"
"Long shtory." James muttered, while Evans smirked.
"Well, I was just leaving." Evans said. "Don't want to stay out longer than I must!"
"I never would've expected to see you, of all people, out of bed." Peter mused quietly. "After curfew. Breaking the rules."
"Don't tell on me, and I won't tell on you." Evans sighed.
"Deal!" James and Sirius said in unison.
With that, Evans was gone.
"Peter, show us where that book is." Sirius directed.
"Well now," Nick called. "What are you boys doing out of bed?"
"Trying to put James right!" Peter called from the other aisle.
"This looks familiar…" Nick mused.
"Got it!" Peter came running back with the book on Animagus transformation.
"Perfect!" Sirius said. "Now, to find where we went wrong…"
They flipped through the book until they found the Animagus spell.
"Here we go!" Sirius pointed to the page. "We said the spell at the wrong time, and we switched the words!"
"You're not trying to become Animagi, are you?" Nick raised an eyebrow.
"I'sh fow a good caush!" James slurred brightly.
"As a Hogwarts ghost, I must tell you this is very illegal as you are underage, and I must tell you're Head of House."
"Please, Nick!" Peter cut in. "It's not for us, it's to help a friend! He's in a difficult position every month, and we want to help!"
"Peter!" Sirius cried.
"Ah, you're not referring to young Mr. Lupin, are you?" Nick had a knowing look. "Madam Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall told us ghosts about his condition, in case we need to help. In that case, you are embarking on a noble endeavor, though I still bid you caution. As you have seen for yourselves, it is not an easy process."
The boys beamed at the praise and nodded their understanding of the warnings.
"This doesn't say how to fix James!" Sirius cried suddenly.
"Wo'? James rushed to the book. He read the entire page and checked the others as well, but, as Sirius had said, there was no reverse spell.
"I'm going to be shtuck like dis fowevew!" James cried.
The Marauders fell into an uneasy silence.
"When and what, exactly, did you say?" Nick asked, finally.
"James said 'Amato Animoto Animo Animagus' at noon." Sirius recalled.
"My companion attempted this ritual as well, and made the same mistake." Nick told them.
"How did he get better?" Peter asked.
"She," Nick corrected. "Repeated exactly what she said, at midnight."
"That's in an hour!" Sirius cried!
"Thank you, Nick!" James beamed at the ghost. "I'll nevew fowge' dis."
"Glad to be of service, my boy!" Nick tipped his head at the boys. "One thing tho -"
Before Nick could continue, a meow came from behind them. Mrs. Norris was sitting near the library entrance!
"The bloody cat!" Sirius cried.
"Quickly Nick, what were you saying?" Peter prompted.
"Your pronunciation must be clear, otherwise this will become permanent!" Nick finished.
This gave them all a pause.
"No time to lose! " Nick whispered. "I'll buy you time, you head back."
Sirius cast disillusion charms on all of them and ran to get Remus. James, invisible, turned to face the Gryffindor ghost again.
"Thanksh again, Nick." He murmured. "Fow evewything."
Nick grinned and waved him off.
"Come on, James!" That was Remus. Together, the Marauders ran as quietly as they could, back to Gryffindor Tower.
Back in their dorm room, Sirius filled Remus in, leaving out the bits about Animagi.
"Can you say the words properly?" Remus asked, worried.
"I'll haff to twy, won' I?" James shrugged. "Can you Shummon my wand? I'll need da'."
Remus Summoned James' wand, and the latter carefully held it between his hooves.
"There's still forty minutes before midnight." Peter pointed to the clock on the wall.
"Ten minutes prior, you and Remus head down to the common room." Sirius said.
"Why?" Remus looked confused.
"Because you weren't there when James did the spell this morning. We don't want to take any chances."
Remus shrugged. "Why not practice the words in the meantime?"
James shook his head. "No chanshesh. Bu', I'll pwactish shaying S' and R's, sho I can shay da shpell."
James started saying tongue twisters, working out how to make the sounds with the awkward snout. By fifteen minutes to midnight, he was speaking properly, though a little slow.
"I've got the hang of this now!" James cried happily.
"And not a minute too soon." Sirius moaned. "If I hear another tongue twister again, my ears will fall off!"
Remus looked up from his book. "It's almost time. We should go downstairs now."
He gently woke Peter up, as he had fallen asleep in his bed, and headed to the common room.
Once they were gone, Sirius turned to James. "Maybe you should practice the word, just in case."
"Amato Animoto Animo Animagush!" James said.
"No!" Sirius clutched at his hair. "Your S'!"
"Sss, sss, Animagussss…" James enunciated.
"It's time!" Sirius pointed to the clock. "Are you ready?"
James took a deep breath and nodded. He pointed his wand at his heart.
"Amato Animoto Animo Animagus!"
A flash of gold light filled the dorm room. Standing in the place of the pink-furred half-deer was a shirtless James Potter, whole once more.
"YESS!" Sirius shouted at the top of his lungs.
"You'll wake the entire tower!" James chucked as his best friend tackled him in a hug.
The door creaked open.
"I take it from your loud celebration that it worked?" Remus smirked as he entered the room. A cheering Peter came bouncing in behind him.
"Ta-da!" James spun around, arms outstretched.
"Now," Remus tried his best to look and sound stern, but his smile got in the way. "No more 'personal projects' that turn people into half-deers, agreed?"
"And NEVER," Sirius glared at James. "Embarrass me that way in front of Evans again!"
James blushed at the memory, but rolled his eyes at the Black Heir. "Of course not."
"Good." Sirius headed towards his bed. "Coz next time, you'll be more than tickled pink."
He didn't bother to tell James that his hair was still pink.
A/N: And that's that! Thanks so much for reading my story! Please let me know if you liked it, disliked it (and why, so I can get better), or if any of my characters were OOC (and how, cuz I'm new to this). Also, this is not betaed, so please, bear with me in terms of grammatical errors. I'd love to hear you feedback, so please do review!
- Raven.