After finishing the Marauder's Map, the boy's decide they needed to get becoming animagus down, since their names on the map were based on the animals they were supposed to be able to transform into.

Finally one day after school, James and Sirius managed it.

"I got it!" James yelled excitedly. "Look!"

He was pointing at a miniscule stag running around the room that was previously a goblet.

Sirius attempted the spell another time. "Vertero Dog!" he shouted, and suddenly, the book he was practicing on began to change. A small black dog, miniature enough to be held on the palm of two hands, was chasing after the stag.

"Ok," said Remus, watching from the other side of the room. "The book says now you've got to concentrate on the animal hard. Peter stop trying. It's got to be silent or it might break their concentration. This is the serious part. Then point your wand at yourselves and say the incantation."

"Ok, on the count of three then?" said Sirius. James nodded in agreement.

"One. Two. (Peter and Remus held their breath)Three!" they said in unison.

"Vertero Dog!" said Sirius, while James said "Vertero Stag!"

Both of them immediately began to change. They both fell on all fours, as if some invisible force was pushing them down. Antlers began to sprout on top of James' head, which was now covered in short, tan hair. Sirius' nose extended quite a noticeable amount, and he was starting to sprout short, coarse black hair all over his face. James' body lengthened, and he was now completely covered in the tan hair replacing his clothes. Sirius was now covered in a full coat of short black hair, his feet became smaller and a tail sprouted out of his rear. James had a short tail sprouting, and his feet were now hard hooves. About a minute after it began, they were completely transformed.

"To transform back, you simply have to concentrate on the way you normally look. Clothes included," he added, shuddering at the thought of them transforming back without clothes on.

A minute later the dog and stage grew tall, and, standing on two legs again, were James and Sirius, huge grins plastered to their faces.

The next few weeks were spent trying to assist Peter in successfully transforming an object into a rat.

"No, Peter, it's more of a swish, and then a jab."

" If you do it like that, you're more likely to poke someone's eye out than become a rat."

"Speak clearly, stop stuttering."

Finally, after about a month, Peter managed to change an inkwell into a small rat that squeaked and ran into a corner.

"I can see the resemblance," joked Sirius.

James laughed.

"Quiet, you two!" Remus said. "Now he's got to concentrate."

"Vertere Rat!" Peter exclaimed.

At first it seemed like nothing was going to happen. Then peters nose grew shrunk and became pink, and it lengthened a considerable amount. Whiskers grew out of his cheeks, and he rather looked like a boy in a rat costume. A long, sectioned tail grew out of his rear, and he fell forward onto his legs and arms, which had shrunk to the thickness of small twigs. His body sucked in, and about 30 seconds later, he was a full on rat.

"Concentrate on yourself Peter, and please remember clothes," James said.

About two minutes later, Peter was standing where the rat had been perched on the floor. James and Sirius put their hands up to their faces, making sure they didn't see anything they didn't want to.

"You can put your hands down, he's got clothes on," said Remus.

"Lucky you were brave enough to look, Moony," Sirius said, laughing.

Remus swatted at him. "Well, none of you have to use the spell anymore, you can just transform at will, so I guess I'll be returning this to the library," he said and walked out of the room.

A few days later, James walked in to the Gryffindor common room where he found Sirius, Remus, and Peter sitting around a fire doing homework.

"Wher've you been James?" Sirius said.

"Checking the lunar charts. Full moon's in three days," he said happily.

"I know," said Remus darkly, looking up from Unfogging the Future.

James continued, "We can finally transform with you! That should make it a lot more bearable for you."

"Uh huh." said Remus skeptically from behind his books. "And how do you expect to go with me, when Madam Pomfrey takes me down to the Whomping Willow? She won't allow you to come, I'm sure of it."

James grinned. "You've forgotten, Moony old friend, that I have an invisibility cloak. She'll never know we're right behind you."

"All three of you will be able to fit underneath it?" he said, indicating Sirius and Peter.

"I dunno. Let's try." James said. "Oy, Sirius, Peter! C'mere!"

James took out the invisibility cloak and wrapped it around the three of them. They immediately disappeared and James popped his head out. "Can you see any part of us?" he asked.

"Aside from your head, no." Remus replied. "I guess it'll work. I just don't want any of you to get hurt."

"Oh, come on stop being such a worry wart!" Sirius said. "It'll be a barrel of laughs."

Three days later, Remus went down to the Great Hall to meet Madam Pomfrey. She escorted him outside towards the Whomping Willow. When they reached it, she pulled out her wand.

"Extendere," she whispered, and her wand grew at least three feet, so she could poke the knot that froze the tree. When the knot was touched, the tree immediately stopped swinging its branches and stood completely still, like a normal tree would. Oddly enough, it didn't look normal. Madam Pomfrey beckoned Remus forward and he disappeared into the tunnel. She walked hurriedly toward the Great Hall, and when she was out of sight, James, Sirius, and Peter pulled off the invisibility cloak. Three 15 year old boys disappeared into the tunnel; on the other side a rat, a stag, and a dog came out into the Shrieking Shack. Remus the werewolf was sitting in a corner, gnawing on a table leg, growling, and letting out an occasional howl. He caught sight of James, Sirius, and Peter and his face suddenly seemed warmer, kinder. As he walked toward them, Peter let out a squeak and rushed under the bed, his tail sticking out. Sirius stepped forward and closed his mouth around his tail and pulled him up on top of the bed. James and Sirius had great fun keeping Remus company, with Peter squeaking uncomfortably on the bed, intimidated by Remus' werewolf form. Eventually Remus transformed back to himself, and when they were sure it was safe, so did Sirius, James, and Peter.

They slipped under the invisibility cloak, except for Remus, because he had a legitimate reason for being out this late, or rather, early. They went up to Gryffindor Tower, with a great feeling of accomplishment.

However, now they had much more important things to be doing- 5th year was O.W.L year, and they were rapidly approaching.

(The Order of the Phoenix Chapter "Snape's Worst Memory" occurs here)

There were a few cheers from the crowd, and James and Sirius spent a few more minutes taking turns hexing Snape.

James was still eyeing the girls at the water's edge, though he knew continuing to mess around with Snape would only make Lily even angrier with him. He fought the urge to put a Jelly Legs curse on Snape and then make him dance around on flimsy legs, and sat down next to Lupin.

~End of Year 5~