On a late summer afternoon, at the outskirts of an old country town, around a bend on a plain dirt road, was a most comforting view. A small cottage, well-kept but old enough to have character. A simple garden, pleasing without seeming artificial. Fairly normal, but nice.

On the other hand, almost nobody could actually see the view.

The young magical couple, whose son was being hunted by terrorists, were hidden away under a Fidelus charm. The only person not in the house that could have seen the view was the leader of their group fighting the terrorists, strangely enough the Headmaster of the school from which they had graduated but a few years ago.

So it wasn't really a normal situation at all.

Lily Potter, née Evans, was trying to make the best of the situation. Alice, her best friend from school, had also gone into hiding with her husband, bringing along her son Neville. Neville had been born just a few hours before her Harry, over a year ago now. Not long after, Headmaster Dumbledore had come along, telling them both to go into hiding, though she couldn't come up with any way her boy and the Longbottom's were connected.

Her husband James, though, had his group from school around fairly often, as they were now. Remus, at least, was good company, being nearly as studious as she was. Sirius, however, was not. She had managed to get James to calm down over the years, or she would never have married the bullying stalker, but she was beginning to think that Sirius was a lost cause. Peter seemed harmless enough, though she never really noticed him, as he tended to be quiet and stuck to the back.

For now, they were upstairs playing with Harry, and she was downstairs getting dinner started. She soon started to worry, though. They were being quiet. Every year the Firsties quickly learnt that danger sign, and she had a particularly refined sixth sense for when they were getting into trouble.

`They're probably trying to get him on a broom again,' she thought, heading upstairs. Honestly, what was it with Boys and their Quidditch? She'd just have to find a better place to hide the brooms. `He can wait and learn at Hogwarts,' she told herself, though she'd have rather he never got involved in falling off brooms and getting hit with big rocks.

She was, unsurprisingly, quite correct that they were being mischievous, but her guess was rather off.

As soon as she had left, Sirius had turned to James with a question.

"I think your Pronglet should become the first of a the next generation of the Marauders, don't you?"

"I don't know, Padfoot, could he really manage it? It took…"

"Oh, don't worry about it, Prongs, he'll be fine. I've even brewed the potion already."

James turned toward Remus.

"Moony? You're the brains of the operation."

"I never read the research for that little adventure. You well know I can't become one."

Peter piped up.

"We've done plenty of pranks with temporary transfiguring potions, before, Prongs, and everyone was always fine. This one's just a bit more complicated."

"I suppose that's true, Wormtail, but this one's much more complicated than just the transfiguration. It has to find something in you, and unlock an ability."

"Sure, but that's why they invented the potion," Sirius interrupted, pulling out the vial. "Much easier than having to find it with meditation and all. Don't you want to run in the woods with him?"

James sighed. "Well, yes… So long as it's brewed correctly, Padfoot."

"Of course!" he said, with a hurt look that fooled nobody.

He was just finishing giving Harry the potion when Lily stormed into the room.

"Sirius Orion Black!"

All four of them flinched at the full name.

"Calm down, Lily-flower, it was just…"

"Do you know nothing?" She turned to her husband. "How could you let him do that, Potter?"

He cringed, knowing that the last name was reserved for the most severe transgressions. "It's just transfiguration, Dear, and the potion shouldn't be harmful to children."

`Still as bad at research as ever,' she mumbled. "I take it you never did the the extra credit for McGonnagol in sixth-year?"

He shook his head.

"Of course, that's just like you. Hatch a hare-brained scheme that'd likely get yourselves arrested, and don't even get marks for it. You have to know that you get some instincts to go with your animal. Think about it for a bit. You have to be aware enough to go back, and to know to where you're going back."

Sirius spoke up. "He had his first birthday a month ago, he crawls after us when we move, and he's started walking sometimes. I don't see the problem."

"Does he know who he is? Does he have a sense of self? Of what makes him different and unique?" She glared at him. "There's a reason it's not supposed to be taken until you're an adult."

"So what do we do now?" asked James nervously.

Lily slumped a bit. "Just wait, I guess. There's Animas Revelio if we have to, though it might leave some animal influences. I'd rather not try to get help, since we're supposed to be hiding, and it is illegal, since he didn't register intent."

All five of them were rather surprised when all of a sudden Harry turned into a young Owl, flapped his wings, turned back, and fell asleep.

James recovered first. "Yes! A bird! He'll make an even better seeker than…"

Lily's glare was quite effective at killing his outward exuberance. She dragged him from the room, ranting the whole way. "And how often has he been on a broomstick that flying makes it into his animagus form? I told you not to take my child up, but you…"

The other three apparated away, rather glad for the reprieve.

Summer turned into Autumn, and Lily eventually forgave the boys. They'd never forget it, of course, and she made sure that Sirius, James, and Peter never `found' any dogs, stags, or rats (respectively) for Harry to play with, but he seemed to have gotten through unscathed.

Indeed, he was progressing quite well. Over the months he formed his words better and played more and more attention to his surroundings. Wanting to stay hidden, Lily and James decided that there was no need to get Harry checked out by a healer. Dumbledore dropped by once, but he was in a hurry, so they didn't bother him with it, and he didn't notice anything.

Little did they know that his increased awareness was actually mostly due to his Owl correcting his eyesight, meaning he wouldn't need the glasses he would have otherwise.