A/N: WARNING: This book is a sequel! If you don't want to be in the dark, read my first "The Howl of the Moon", (id# 882673) which chronicles MWPP in their first year. This is about their second year. Also, I own nothing! Please R/R!
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Chapter Six:
Moony
After the meeting, with the boys sworn to become Animagi, and the girls sworn to secrecy, they wasted no time in beginning the studies. They gathered literature on the subject; advanced Transfiguration books, books on Animagi, as well as a dictionary of variables that were to be inserted in the Transfigures per animal.
They had found the true names for their Magic, James was to be a Cervumagus. Sirius was to be a Canimagus (though there was a much more specific name for his particular genus and species). Peter was to be a Mûsmagus.
As they had feared, Remus's transformation effected his play in the match versus Slytherin, and Lestrange was able to get to the Snitch just before Remus had. It was the first time Gryffindor held the lead before the game ended, and was also the first time Remus failed to capture the Snitch. It evened the score between Slytherin and Gryffindor, as well as between Lestrange and Remus.
Neither Ravenclaw nor Hufflepuff cared about the Slytherin victory, only about the fact that Hufflepuff defeated Ravenclaw in surprising fashion (they scored a whopping fifty points before Kelly captured the Snitch). Slytherin had many a good laugh about it, and Gryffindor was sympathetic towards Remus (for they thought he was sick), and those who knew his true condition felt even worse for him. The Gryffindors did congratulate the other Gryffindor players, however, who played very well, as they were winning 170 to forty.
And so, by Christmas time, Remus was feeling and looking worse than his friends had seen him thus far. The group decided that they would all stay at school for the holiday.
"Happy Christmas!" Yelled James as he sat up suddenly. Remus had been laying awake in bed for a bit before then, but got up when James did. Sirius and Peter were aroused, and they all quickly grabbed their mounds of presents and ran down to the common room, where Lily and Mary were waiting and talking, their presents before them, unopened.
"Shall we dig in, or do this in some order?" Asked Lily.
"Order!" Said James, smiling, for he was very excited. Not for what he might be receiving, but for what he was giving, and he wanted to present in dramatic fashion.
"Alright." Said Remus mopily, shrugging. He was even now already dreading his next transformation, which wasn't for another week and a half, and Remus usually ignored it until the last minute.
"First, we'll get all of the presents from the relatives out of the way!" Said James, and they tore through their presents (the ones they would normally be more excited about), and they kids found many books, and the Quidditch players new pads and books on Quidditch.
"Now, for each others' gifts. Uhm, first the gifts from Lily!" Said James, raising a finger authoritatively.
"Alright, then! Sirius, you go first, then clockwise." Said Lily wisely, for that left Remus as last.
The Society got drawings from Lily, for she fancied herself an artist. James got one of a stag, and Sirius a great black dog, which Remus did entirely understand. He knew James liked stags, but thought it odd that Lily would draw Sirius a Grim, a commonly known death-omen.
From Lily the present giving went clockwise as well, leaving James the last present giver. Mary was next, and got everyone small good luck charm totem poles carved from chalk she got from her father, and painted with watercolors. Each was specialized, with their face, something depicting at what they were best, and what Mary called a portrait of their personality. James's was a stag, and Sirius's the bear-dog (also, Sirius's had a heart), and Peter's a rattail. Remus's was the moon, which everyone briefly thought may have upset him, but it did not, and he simply smiled and put it next to Lily's drawn dragon for him.
Next was Peter, and his specialty was Herbology, so he got everyone small magical flowers. Each was a different color and had a different characteristic. James was a red one grew when it was near a flame. Sirius's was deep, dark blue and it grew in the dark. Remus's was white, and shone brightly in moonlight.
Now it was Remus's turn to give presents (and for everyone to open those received from the Lupin family, which were all heavy, expensive books). Remus wrote everyone a poem, describing their good attributes. But in each one his depression was evident.
Sirius's were potions.
"My best subjects are Charms and Transfiguration, but I'm not good enough to get anything worthwhile. I guessed Peter would do something with Herbology, and that Remus would do something with Astronomy," Remus chuckled a bit, "though it doesn't matter that he didn't because I'm bad at it. And Defense against the Dark Arts...well, like anyone here needs it!" He said with another laugh. "And History...so, that left Potions. So here, I've concocted everyone a little something!" James received a red draught that restored stamina. Peter got a potion that made plants grow better. Lily and Mary received Love Potions (or so Sirius claimed), and Remus got the same as James.
Now, much to his overflowing joy, it was James's turn to present.
"Now, first, of course, is Sirius." Sirius picked up the small, flat package from James, his only one remaining.
"For my faithful friend, and defender on the Quidditch field!" Sirius ripped open his package from James to find he had gotten a book on Beater strategy.
"James, did you pay for this?" He shrieked. He thanked James, and James moved on.
"For Lily, my academic rival!" She slowly tore the paper from her gift to find a notebook, on the front of which was scrawled "Transfig" in James's handwriting.
"What's this?" She asked. James laughed.
"It's my Transfig' notes! Thought you might need them!" He laughed loudly and Sirius joined him. Lily scoffed, and threw the thick notebook down.
"Just kidding!" Said James through his laughter, and he walked over to pick it up. He opened it up and gave it back to Lily, and she saw it had a small box of Honeydukes' best chocolate. Lily's jaw dropped, and she pulled it from the cut out hole made in the notebook paper. She put down the chocolate, and gave James a peck on the cheek. James quickly retreated to his seat, blushing furiously.
After a moment of getting over it, he turned to Mary.
"And a box of chocolates for you as well." He said, trying to make it seem as if perhaps he was giving chocolates to all girls, not just Lily, in case anyone might suspect he fancied her.
"For Peter, a loyal companion and faithful follower!" Peter eagerly ripped open his present to reveal a small, unmarked and unadorned silver ring.
"It's called a Fidelius Ring. If I tell you secret, then the secret will be written on the inside of the ring, and you won't be able to tell the secret to anyone! Not unless you take off the ring, and roll a piece of paper up, then put it in the middle of the ring, then it will be written on the paper. Nifty, eh?" James said. Peter nodded, and squeaked "thank you" barely audibly.
"And now," said James, taking a deep breath and grinning widely, "for Remus's present." At this moment, Remus looked down and noticed no parcel lay in front of him. Confused, he looked back at James.
"Remus, this present is from me, and Sirius, and Peter. And I apologize for not getting you something besides, like Peter and Sirius, but I think you'll like it. You probably won't get the effects of it until possibly the last year or two of school here at Hogwarts, but hopefully it will be worth it, and you'll know we care...." James trailed off, and did not speak for a few seconds.
"Well?" Asked Remus, curious of all the extra attention his gift was receiving, and the odd clues James had given of it. James started to speak, but then stopped himself. He looked at the portrait hole, then all around the room, and up the staircases. He returned to their circle.
"Remus, we're going to become Animagi." Remus did not move. His expression remained the same, and he stared unblinkingly at James.
"You see, it's like Professor McGonagall said! When a werewolf is with an Animagi, and both are in their animal states, then the werewolf's suffering is diminished.
"Y-you're going to become Animagi? You're all twelve years old!" He said, shocked.
"I know, but...I know we can do it! And you'll be so much happier when we can be with you!"
"Aren't you all too young to be Animagi? Aren't there rules and things?" He asked, frowning. James gulped.
"Well...you see, we're sort of going to step around the rules for this..." He nervously looked at Remus as he pondered what James had said.
"You're...going to break the law?" James meekly nodded.
"Cool!" He said suddenly, and began to cry. "No one's ever done something like this for me before!" He said. Sirius at once strode across the circle and embraced Remus, and James quickly joined as well. Peter meagerly hugged Remus from behind, and the girls sat, each also coming to tears a bit.
Finally, after five or ten seconds, they broke the hug, Remus wiping his tears away quickly for fear of being feminine, and they sat down.
"Well, what are you all going to be?" James stood up once again.
"I'm going to be a stag. And Sirius a dog. That way we can keep you in check if you get out of hand!" Peter stood up at once.
"And I'll be a rat, so I can sneak in small places, and touch the knot of the Whomping Willow!" Remus smiled widely.
After a delicious Christmas feast, Remus went happily to bed, now still accepting that he would become a werewolf in a week, but knowing now that it would be okay.
Remus, like the other boys, made a small shrine of his Christmas gifts on his nightstand. Lily's dragon was leaning against the wall, Mary's carving standing on one side, Sirius's phial in a stand on the other, and Peter's white flower in the middle.
School started again on Thursday, the day before the next full moon, and not even Professor Krupp could put a damper in his mood.
"Good, Malfoy. Very good, this is excellent work." Remus heard Krupp say as the entered the greenhouse. The last group, Ravenclaw and Slytherin first years, was still making its way out of the room. The sight initially shocked all of them; Professor Krupp was examining a plant, and patting a boy on the shoulder, with a smile across his face.
"You too, Avery, this work is top notch."
"See you later Professor Krupp!" Said Malfoy, a blonde drawling voiced boy. And Professor Krupp waved. The Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs were so stricken that they didn't even move out of the way.
"Excuse me," said Malfoy, "but if you could move your arse out of the way so I could leave." James frowned immediately at the boy. He moved out of the way, but as he passed, gave him a shove in the back when Krupp wasn't looking.
"You respect your elders, boy." Said Sirius, gripping Malfoy on his shoulder and speeding his exit as well. Avery quickly followed with a mean glance, as well as another boy whose name they did not know. As the Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs began seating themselves, the last Ravenclaw went up to Professor Krupp's desk.
"This is rubbish." He said meanly. "I don't want to see filth like this again, do you understand me?" The Ravenclaw's head sunk and he nodded vaguely.
"Good." Krupp said gruffly. "Now get out of here!" The Ravenclaw quickly ran out of the greenhouse.
"Now," Krupp said with a revolting sneer, "for the Gryffindors," he said with complete revulsion, "and the Hufflepuffs." He added, his tone lightening sarcastically.
Remus, James, Sirius, and Peter finished early (as no matter how poor Krupp's curve was for the Gryffindors, Peter was still near top of the class, and always finished quickly). It appeared that Krupp was in a bad mood, so the four did not make much noise.
"So," began Remus, whispering. "When shall you all begin to...well, become what you're going to become?" He asked excitedly.
"We've already begun!" Whispered Sirius back, with equal excitement. "I've already learned the first Transfigure of the Canimagi!" Remus's jaw dropped.
"Really? Already! That's great! You'll be Stag, Dog, and Rat in no time!" Suddenly, from above there came a coughing sound. The four, terrified, looked up to see the snarling face of Professor Krupp.
"Ah, er, Professor!" Said James, forcing a laugh. "How long have you been standing there?" He asked, though he immediately regretted it, for it made him sound more guilty.
"Just a moment." He said, and looked intently upon James. "What were you talking about, just now?"
"Oh! Er, nothing, really." Said James quickly.
"Pipedreams! Imagination, that sort of thing." Added Sirius quickly.
"I'm writing a book!" Piped Peter suddenly. They all looked at him, and Krupp did so with an element of disgust on his face.
"I highly doubt, Pettigrew, that you have the capability." Peter gulped.
"Well, you know...I'm always trying new things...." He muttered.
"Good. Then I'd like to read the book. Have it on my desk by next week." Krupp began to walk away, and James suddenly stood up.
"No, Professor!" He said suddenly. "Oh, er, well, you see, he hasn't started writing it...and it may take him a very long time!" Krupp's eyes dwindled to tiny slits like that of a snake.
"Fine." He spat. "Then have the first chapter on my desk by Monday. Consider it a homework assignment." Again Krupp started to move away, but now Sirius suddenly stood.
"Oh, er, well, Professor, it's not about Herbology!" He said quickly.
"I know. I heard you." Krupp turned on his heel and walked away. "Monday, Pettigrew!" He said as the bell rang. The four exited the greenhouse, white as ghosts, with Mary and Lily right behind.
"What's the matter?" Asked Lily to James.
"Nothing, nothing really." Said James.
"Only just that Professor Krupp may have just possibly maybe found out that we might possibly try to become Animagi." Lily shrieked.
"I knew it!" She screamed. "I knew you would all get caught, though I hadn't presumed it would be this soon! Oh, the trouble you are all in!" James put his hand up.
"No! We can get out of this. We don't know how much of the conversation Krupp heard, but we can explain it with the book!" Peter was now gripping his things tightly, and clenching his jaw.
"Don't worry, Peter, I'll help you write it." Said Remus.
"Yes, Remus is an excellent author. But we have to use it to explain the things we said!
"If only there were more time today, we might think of a plan, but today's our worst schedule, so we'll think of something tomorrow!" And the six made for Charms.
"Magic...is a fickle art." Said Professor Flitwick. "Many think that wand is the key to magic. This is not true. Magic is in the very blood and flesh of every witch and wizard. Wand's are powerful tools in concentrating and directing that magic. But the true power lies within us!"
Remus was paying no attention. He was scribbling things for the story. He doodled four wizards, each becoming powerful animals. He wrote some names and some plot lines, when Flitwick interrupted him.
"Mister Lupin. I suggest you pay attention. You never know when these things may come in handy." Remus blushed, and quickly put the things away, and opened his book.
On Friday, after they had no more classes, they met in the common room.
"Alright, let's get to work on this thing!" James said.
"Okay." Said Peter with a deep breath.
"Alright. I've been thinking our whole conversation should go into the book! That way we can say that we were saying the lines over for Peter, because he wanted to know if they sounded right." Said Remus.
"That's an excellent idea!" Said James.
"Good. Now let's get down to the penning." Peter nodded, gulping, and put his quill to the parchment.
"Start out with something easy, and classic. Once upon a time!" Said Remus. Peter nodded, and wrote it as neatly as he could.
"Once upon a time...there were four powerful wizards!" Said Remus. Peter nodded and added that as well.
"Lupus, Mûs, Canis, and Cervus." Said James with a grin. Peter nodded and wrote the names down, misspelling them all.
"Yes, that's good." Remus said with a chuckle. "Now, let's see, we'll start off right with our conversation! Do you remember it Peter?" Peter nodded, and wrote the conversation verbatim, Remus being Lupus, and Sirius being Canis.
"Now what?" Asked Peter. Remus sat down, and began pondering.
"As much as we may not want to, I think, Peter, you will simply have to write the rest specifically for the liking of Professor Krupp." Said Remus.
"A normally spineless act, to do something different from yourself just to make others happy," said Sirius with a hint of disgust in his voice, "but in this case your grade is on the line, Peter, and can't afford anything else." James nodded.
"Now what are we to write that will please Krupp?"
"It would appear that Slytherin pleases Krupp." Said Remus. "And I would guess he is a fan of Herbology, since he is its teacher." James nodded.
"I agree. Snakes and flowers, here we come." Said James unappealingly. And so, with quite a bit of help from Remus, and occasional input by Lily or James, Peter completed the "first" chapter.
"Well, that's relief its done!" Said Peter, gladly, dropping the rolls of parchment onto the table.
"I actually liked it a bit!" Said James. Sirius concurred.
"Yes, I especially liked the character Lupus, he was quite a good one!" Remus chuckled.
"You're all too kind. But you know, I've often wondered what it would be like to be like Lupus; an Animagus, rather than a werewolf. To be able to transform on command! But instead, I live and die by the moon." He said grimly. They all looked outside. The sun was setting.
"Oh no!" He cried. "Tonight's the full moon! I've to get to the Shrieking Shack!" He yelled.
"To the broomsticks!" Sirius yelled, and the Quidditchers ran from the commons area to their dormitory.
As Sirius grabbed his and James' brooms, James unlocked the window.
"Alohomora!" The windows swung open.
"My broom!" Yelled Remus. "Where has it gone?"
"No time!" Yelled James, and pulled Remus on to his.
They all flew at breakneck speed from the room to the grass, then along it towards the Whomping Willow.
"Quickly!" James yelled. "The moon will be here soon!" James and Sirius broke as hard as they could once the tree came into view, and dismounted quickly. Remus quickly grabbed the trusty twig, and poked the tree's knot quickly.
"Go, go, go, here it comes!" Yelled Sirius.
"Take this!" Said James, handing his broomstick to Remus.
"And Banish it back to me!" Remus nodded, and hopped on the stick. Sirius gave him shove into the hole, and Remus popped his head up for just one moment before he zoomed down the underground path.
"Thanks guys!" He said.
"No problem!" Said James quickly. "Anything for my good pal Moony!"