Written For:
Quidditch Fanfiction League Competition: Caerphilly Catapults - Round 7 - Keeper
Write about a transfiguration that goes awry
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: Heath and Fitness
Task 1 - Write about Sirius Black
Betas: CupCakeyyy, Charlotte, Wellwick
Sirius' Tale
The three of them had been working to perfect their Animagus transformations all year. It wasn't easy, but their desire to keep Remus company on the night of the full moon kept them going. Remus should never have to go through the pain alone. He should never be made to feel alone again. Ever.
Sirius had vowed to make sure Remus never felt alone again.
Remus was one of the best people Sirius knew, and the fact that Remus was ever made to feel like he was a dangerous outcast was sickening. For the rest of his life, Remus would be surrounded by people who loved him despite his furry problem.
James was the closest to having his transformation down. He could hold it for a few seconds before he reverted back to human form. Peter, on the other hand, hadn't made any progress yet. He didn't even know what his form was going to be. He was getting frustrated, but James had been helping him since he was the farthest along. Sirius knew him very well and he could see that it took everything from the other boy to not get frustrated as well. His own progress was in the middle. He knew his animal. He could see it in his head. So he'd gone over to the next step, however, whenever he began changing, he never quite managed to complete the transformation.
While James was busy focusing on Peter, Sirius decided to give it another try. 'Maybe the tenth time was the charm?' He closed his eyes and focused his energy. He felt the change. A tingle spread from his center outwards; first to his hands, tickling in the tips of his fingers, before reaching his toes. His whole body morphed. It was an odd, although not unpleasant, feeling. And when he opened his eyes, his whole line of vision was different. He was suddenly much closer to the floor. And he was seeing in black and white.
And Sirius let out a bark in excitement as he jumped around on all four paws. He had done it! He twirled around, watching his tail wag from side to side before turning to his friends. James was practically beaming at him while Peter had the look of a petulant child that was the last to do everything.
"Awesome job, Padfoot!" James let out a laugh and cocked his head. "I'm still not sure where you came up with that name, but I have to admit, it does suit you. Don't you think Peter?"
Peter shuffled his feet, his toes digging in the floor. "I guess so."
Padfoot let out another excited bark before shaking himself. As happy as he was, he wanted to transform back so he could jump around on his two feet and talk in a way that his friends would understand. Barking wasn't showing them just how excited and over the moon he was.
He must have been doing it with only half of his brain, however. Or he wasn't focusing enough; he didn't know. Because after he changed back and started doing his happy dance, he quickly noticed James' gobsmacked expression and Peter's wide eyes.
Sirius scrunched up his nose and furrowed his eyebrows. "What?"
James stared, unblinking at something behind him.
Sirius looked but didn't see anything amiss. "What are you staring at?" he asked.
Peter stuttered, "Your… Your…"
"Peter, just spit it out. What is it?" Sirius asked.
"You have a tail!" James spluttered, pointing his finger at something Sirius finally felt swishing behind him.
Sirius craned his neck and, sure enough, there was a fluffy black tail wagging. A fluffy black tail that didn't belong on a human body. "What?"
He gaped at his behind, eyes following the madly swishing tail before he finally settled on, "Uh-oh."
He was in trouble.
X
James looked at him as if he thought Sirius had lost his mind as the Black heir straightened his robes. He looked in the mirror, trying to see if there was an unsightly bulge behind him.
He scrunched his nose. He didn't think it would be noticeable unless someone was really, really looking. And they'd probably have to squint to see it. He was sure everything would be fine. No one would be any the wiser. He was sure.
"You honestly think you'll be able to hide a tail?" James asked for the fiftieth time.
"Do you have a better idea?" Sirius asked, frustrated.
"Well..." He hesitated.
"Out with it!" Sirius demanded, fed up with the entire situation. This was stressful enough, he didn't need any more on his plate.
"Well, I know this goes against everything the Marauders stand for—mischief, getting into trouble, and never telling the adults—but maybe we should go to McGonagall for help."
"Are you kidding me? What do you think will happen if she finds out about our goal to become Animagi? And how about the fact we're doing it without adult supervision? And not planning to register, even. And this," he pointed behind him, indicating the tail that was wagging under the robes, "will not make her believe we can handle the responsibility of becoming Animagi."
If he could just make it stop flipping from side to side, this whole hiding business would be so much easier and they wouldn't have to have this conversation now.
James shrugged. "It was just a thought. But we need to tell someone. Are you going to spend your whole life with a tail? You'll only be able to hide it for so long, you know."
"I'm working on a plan," Sirius said with a firm nod of his head. His gray eyes gleamed.
James rolled his eyes. "Is that supposed to make me feel better? Because it really doesn't."
"You worry too much," Sirius countered.
"Gee, I wonder why, with you as a friend. Come on. Peter and Remus are probably waiting for us."
Sirius grabbed his bag but paused before he left the dormitory. "You don't think Peter will tell, right? I mean, I love the guy, but he's not the best when it comes to keeping secrets. Do you remember the one time with the slugs?" He hummed. "He was the reason McGonagall caught us, after all."
"We can only hope," James intoned.
"Come on. We shouldn't have left him alone so long with Remus. That was tempting fate."
They rushed out of the room and down the stairs, stopping when Remus gazed up from his book. Peter, apparently, had been studying his hands. Remus looked curious, and Peter, slightly green.
"What took you two so long?" Remus asked, closing his book as he stood up.
"Uh, last minute homework," Sirius said.
Remus stared at him with a look that Sirius couldn't describe. "Okay, if you say so. Come on. Let's get to breakfast."
Remus led them through the portrait hole and out of the Gryffindor common room.
"I didn't say anything," Peter whispered happily, proud of his accomplishment.
Unfortunately, it wasn't quiet enough. Remus shot them a look. "Say anything? About what?"
Sirius looked at Peter who withered under his glare. "Nothing," he tried, turning a pleading gaze to the only Marauder that didn't know.
Remus crossed his arms over his chest. "Like I believe that. You want to try that again?"
Sirius and James shared a look.
"The ruse was only going to last until tonight. You were never going to be able to keep it from him any longer than that. We share a room for Merlin's sake!"
Sirius sighed. He knew James was right. "I had an accident," he admitted sullenly.
"What sort of accident?" Remus asked.
"The sort that gives me a tail."
Remus blinked. "A-A tail?"
Sirius nodded.
"Like a fluffy, wagging tail attached to your arse?" Remus asked.
Sirius again nodded, this time his lips twisted in a moue of distaste.
Remus bit his bottom lip in an effort to not laugh. "How did that even happen?"
"Transfiguration went awry," James helpfully said.
"Gone awry is right." Remus chuckled lightly. He tilted his head. "Can I see it?"
Sirius rolled his eyes. "Am I only here to amuse you? Am I a clown?"
Remus arched an eyebrow. "You heard Lily say that before, didn't you?"
Sirius turned back to face the stairs. He knew he wasn't going to get out of showing Remus his new appendage. "You coming or not?" he called over his shoulders, already on his way upstairs. All three of the boys followed him back to the dormitory.
He quickly shed his robe and revealed his full tail glory.
"Wow, you really have a tail," Remus surmised.
"Yep," Sirius said.
"And you're not going to tell me how this happened? Other than transfiguration gone awry?"
Them becoming Animagi was supposed to be a surprise so Remus wouldn't feel so alone during the full moons, and he was determined to do his best to protect that surprise. "Not if I can help it," Sirius finally answered.
"Huh."
He turned around to face Remus. "Is that all you have to say?"
"I'm just wondering how you're planning to get that fixed. I have a feeling you don't want to go to McGonagall."
"I'm working on it," Sirius defended himself, crossing his arms over his chest.
Remus stared at him for a moment. There was a look of something in his eyes, and Sirius didn't know what name to put to it. "Maybe I can help."
Sirius blinked. "That would be brilliant!"
James and Peter nodded, the first looking relieved, the latter eager. After all, Remus was the studious one. If any of them had the chance to find a way to fix Sirius' problem, it would be him.
In the end, it was actually James and Remus together that came up with the solution.
And the tail was gone after nearly a week of hiding it from everyone outside of their current room. Which was a win in Sirius' book.
"Thank Merlin," he breathed in relief as he shook his bum without feeling the appendage slap against his hip.
"I'm kind of disappointed to see it go, not gonna lie," Remus remarked.
Sirius shot him an incredulous look. "Why?"
A flush warmed Remus' cheeks. "You were kind of cute with a tail."
Sirius opened his mouth. He snapped it shut. Then he opened it again. "You thought it was cute?"
Remus nodded. "Yeah."
Sirius stepped closer to Remus. "How cute?"
"I think in their minds, we have ceased to exist," James whispered to Peter even though it was heard by everyone in the room.
"If you have ceased to exist, go away," Sirius ordered.
"Yes, go away," Remus agreed, eyes never straying from Sirius.
When the two sets of footsteps retreated, Sirius smirked. "So… Cute, huh?"
"Very cute," Remus once again agreed.
'Maybe the tail hadn't been all bad,' Sirius thought as their lips inched together until they softly pressed against each other in a sweet kiss. It was their first kiss, but he hoped it wouldn't be their last.
And he kind of wanted his tail back.
XX
(word count: 1,850)