Disclaimer: There is no one on the earth that owns less of these characters than I do. I own NOTHING! You here me? NOTHING! It all belongs to J.K. Rowling and all her amazing peeps. All that belongs to me and this story is just a fanfiction junkie's fun, got it? Good. Now, the other stuff, however, I do.

*`*`*`*`*

Hey, Mr. Seeker Hold on to this advice
If you keep seeking you will find
Don't want to follow
Down roads been walked before
It's so hard to find unopened doors
Are you ready? Are you ready?

Chapter Three:

The Different Views of Untangling the Secrets

As the strange new teacher gave the roll call, James leaned over to Lily and handed her a piece of paper. She looked around to make sure no one was watching them and grabbed in quickly.

It read:

"Lil, what was all that about?"

She sighed and considered the answer, something in her mind told her it was time for honesty, so she scribbled a note back saying:

"Long story, are you free for another 'study session?' I can tell you then."

She handed the note back to James; he quickly scanned over it and nodded in the positive to her before turning back to the teacher, who had just finished.

Lily continued to stare at James, slightly dumbstruck at herself. "Why did I do that? What am I going t say, I can't tell him the truth!" she thought, panicking.

'Why not?' a curious voice in her head asked.

"Because! I…"

"Because you don't want him to think badly of you?"

"Sort of, I don't know…"

"Yes, you do know Lily, just tell him the truth."

"Fine. Who are you anyway?"

"Just call me your Phoenix sense."

Lily just sweat dropped and turned her attention to the lesson, being a Natural had some weird side effects.

*`*`*

As the strange new Professor was giving role call, Remus seated himself next to Clio on a puff.

"Are you okay Clio?" she nodded her head yes. Remus could see that she wasn't, even if she pretended she was. She wouldn't look up and was searching through her bag, sniffing rather hard. "You are not." He tapped her on the shoulder and handed her a quill and some parchment. "But if you don't want to tell me about it you don't have to."

Clio looked up at him in surprise, she took the supplies she half smiled, but she was unable to hold his gaze and looked down. "I will, I swear I will Remus, it's just-" she was cut of by the Professor calling,

"Lupin, Remus!"

She never got a chance to finish because he was one of the last on the list.

*`*`*

As the strange new Sensei gave role call, Thalia and Sirius were giving each other looks. Neither of them could explain it, but they could tell what the other was thinking by their facial expressions, if they were strong enough. Thalia said it was just because they knew each other so well. Sirius said he didn't care how it worked, as long as it didn't go away. Thalia sent Sirius a look that said, "Sorry about that."

He responded with a "No problem," and a "but what was that?"

She shrugged and gave him her patented, 'It's complicated."

He shot a withered "Duh," her way. With a stubbornly added, "I still wanna know."

She sighed and gave an, "It's an option, but no guarantees," to him.

Just then Sensei pixie sent them a look herself, and they shut up, or rather, stopped looking at each other.

Yet, in the middle of Class, Thalia called Peter up on a favor.

"Pss. Peter! Distract Sirius a minute will you?" Peter seemed rather hesitant, if he did so not only would he be talking in class, but he was probably distracting Sirius so Thalia could hex him. "Wormtail, do it. Or I won't be there to call off Snape next time." She said in a remarkably cat like growl/purr. The small part of Peter's brain that wasn't panicking remarked vaguely that Thalia shouldn't know the nickname the boys used for him. 'It's no matter,' the rest of his brain responded quickly, 'Just do what she says and ask questions later.' He leaned over to Sirius' side and asked him a question about charms. While Sirius was angrily telling Peter to shove off before they were all caught; Thalia placed a note to his on the desk.

"Padfoot,

I need to talk to you about the girls, I think I know what they're up to. Don't bother responding to this, just meet me in the owlry at 4:30. Don't mention this to anyone, I need to talk to you before I tell the others.

-Prongs"

Sirius blinked, read the letter several times, blinked again and folding the letter up, making a mental note to meet James at four thirty. It had to be important, even if it didn't make any sense.

*`*`*`*`*

The teacher/ Professor/ Sensei watched her new students with interest, particularly towards four boys and three girls. She knew exactly what was going on and didn't bother to stop it. She thought it was rather cute really, every one had a different view of what was happening, and then when it all comes together, they were going to have one hell of a time untangling the secrets. "Class," she called after a moment of surveying them all. "You have chosen to study a history of myths and legends with me. I'm not going to lie to you; it's going to be fun and easy. I assign only a little homework because most of what you need to do will be done in class. You will, however, use your brains instead of your textbooks; mainly because you don't have textbooks."

There was a muffled laugh among the students. She looked at them with a good-natured smile and continued to walk among the rows of beanbag chairs.

"The reason for this is that everyone has a slightly different view about how things happened in mythology, and what's happening right now as a matter of fact."

She sent a significant look at her seven new favorites.

"The library of this school is the perfect place for research, but I won't make you do it if you don't want to. Because in my opinion, I can't force you to learn something you are not interested in. Like normal history for instance, Professor Binns spent the greater part of his life trying to get me to remember the dates of goblin rebellions. I still don't know."

A louder chuckling came from the class, she smiled again, "but what I do know is why they rebelled. The reason's of the rebellion, rather than the dates of it, interested me, so that's what I learned. Now that that's said, I would like to here questions and concerns you might still have about this class, or me."

A student in the back by the name of Author raised his hand, "Yes?"

"You said Professor Binns spent the greater part of his life teaching you,"

"Correct."

"But, shouldn't you say after life? And how can you be old enough to teach us, you only look old enough to have graduated!"

A mumble of agreement ran through the classroom.

"Hmmm, good questions. I shouldn't say 'after life' because Professor Binns was alive when he taught me."

Another murmur ran through the class, only this one of shock and disbelief.

She grinned indulgently, "So, I guess that answers your question, I am old enough to have graduated, in fact I'm old enough to be your great grandmother. Possibly older than that, Thanks you for the compliment though. I'll shall have to let the people at Retinal know that their aging cream works. " She laughed as every ones mouth moved in the shape of an definite O. Despite their confusion Lily, Clio and Thalia couldn't help but laugh.

"I think you ought to explain yourself," said Lily laughing again.

"Absolutely right Lily, don't know what could have taken me so long. My name is Professor Pixie Midnight." As she talked the words shot out of her wand and into the air were they formed themselves out of smoke. "I am a pixie, but in a false human form, so you can see me better." There was a resounding crack and their professor was gone.

"What?!" everyone shouted, jumping up.

"Up here!" Came a small voice.

Their eyes shot upwards where they saw the very small professor sitting on the smoky "M" of her name. She sneezed and tumbled downward. There was another loud crack and she was normal again. "Yes, I know, it's odd. That's me and I think you'll find I'm fairly entertaining." The class laughed in relief. "Now, to business. Does anyone here know any types of mythology?"

Lily, Clio, and Thalia's hands all shot into the air, along with another Gryffindor seventh year that they barely recognized.

"Yes, Molly." The professor said, calling on the latter girl.

"Umm, I guess the most popular type of mythology is Roman."

Thalia bristled visibly and Clio mumbled something like, "Oh shit." Remus blinked at her.

"Is there something you would like to add to that Thalia?" Pixie-Sensei asked, a look of pure delight on her face.

"Yes, I think Molly meant Greek mythology, or at least Roman and Greek Mythology. Because really the Romans stole the Greek mythology and re-named the characters." She fumed.

"Molly, would you like to respond to that?"

"Yes I would, I didn't mean to side step Greeks, but the Romans didn't steel Greek mythology. In all honesty, I'm not sure how it worked, the Romans just used the Mythology and re-named it, there's nothing wrong with that." She said hastily and very loud. Everyone was surprised, Molly was a soft-spoken girl normally, but they guessed this is what happened when she was crossed.

"I don't think there is anything wrong with it per-say, I just think it's annoying the way everyone assumes that the Roman's came up with it all, and besides the Romans were actually really lazy in their mythology." Thalia said, her blood beginning to rise.

"That's true, they never really cared about it. But to be a respected and powerful country you had to have a strong web of legends to worship, that's all. But the Greeks really cared about their Gods." Lily said, backing her friend/ trying to keep her in her seat. Sensing danger and or fun, Sirius tried to sit on Thalia. To keep her from jumping up and smacking Molly of course, at least, that's what he said later.

Molly turned her wide eyes away from the antics of the group (Thalia had just whacked Sirius upside the head) and was about to respond when Midnight-Sensei cut in, she was familiar with Thalia's temper, and didn't want this new student to be a victim of it. "Okay, this is exactly what I was talking about. Roman and Greek mythology is the same thing, and yet there are at least two people, most likely more, who have opposite view on the subject. It looks like we have a debate on our hands. But really there is only one way to figure out who is right here."

"How?" The class was on the edge of their puffs and easy chairs.

"By making our first term, or so, on Greek/ Roman mythology. Molly, err, Author, and Mudugus, why don't you take the Roman side. Thalia, Lily, and Clio, you take the Greeks. Even though you will each be representing one or the other I still would like you to look at both sides, you can hardly help but do so anyway. That way you will have a full understanding of what you are arguing about. You may choose helpers to make it easier. Any questions?"

"Yes, when is it due?" Clio asked in a matter of fact voice.

"I don't know, by the end of the Christmas Holidays?" she asked airily making a vague hand gesture.

There was a rising cheer from the students for their new favorite teacher.

"Okay, calm down! And I don't want Professor Mcgonagall yelling at me in the hallways because all of you are whining, 'But Professor Midnight didn't give us any homework,' either. Got it? Good. Class is dismissed! Author, Molly, Mudugus, Thalia, Clio and Lily could you please come to my desk?"

While everyone was gathering up their stuff, the called students raced up to the desk.

"I just wanted you to know that there is a secret passage from here to the library, it's way shorter and this class room will always be unlocked should you need to research. The passage is through that bookshelf on the far wall over there. Just lift up the big green and gold book. Also, I encourage you to work together and don't let this get out of hand, it's just a class room debate and research project, no more, no less, okay? You can tell whoever is helping you about the passage." Molly, Author nodded and walked away, shyly chatting quietly to each other. While their other companion, Mudugus, immediately tried the new passage and disappeared between the bookshelves.

Clio, Lily and Thalia alone remained. Pixie Midnight turned and looked at them beaming, "How are all of you, have you found your second form yet?"

"Yes we have, we are all passed our age expectations and have been keeping up our training." Thalia said calmly.

"More importantly, how is everybody back home?" Lily asked, truly concerned.

Their normally bright and hyper teacher's face darkened as she said, "Master died, the my brother guardians are back into hiding."

All of the girls inhaled sharply.

Clio said, with tears brimming, "But how, he was so powerful, what's going to happen?"

The teacher looked truly sorry for having brought tears to the girl's eyes, "It was just his time," she said quietly, putting a comforting arm around them all. "Another mistress will rise and everything will be alright. I am very sorry to have lost my master but now I am able to watch over you until the time comes for me to go to her. You needn't worry about it, it won't effect you much."

"Are you really okay?" Lily quietly asked.

"Yes, I am. I'll miss my brothers and my master badly, but I am very happy to be back and to have heard that you all have done so wonderfully. May I join you next time you go out?" they nodded, "Good, now I have an appointment with Dumbledore and I believe all of you have things to do as well." They all looked up at her confused,

"How did you know?" Lily asked.

"I always do. Know go!" the teacher shooed her last pupils out of the room and with a "pop!" she was gone.

(A.N. Midnight won't always be a Mary Sue peeps)

*`*`*`*`*`*

As the boys walked down the hallway they were unusually quiet. Peter was wondering when Thalia's hex was going activate and if Sirius would know he had helped. Also, he was still puzzled as to why Thalia had known he was called Wormtail. He couldn't remember the others calling him that in front of anyone. He shrugged it off, If Thalia knew his nickname he didn't care, as long as she never growled at him like that again.

*`*`*

Sirius kept shooting James looks trying to figure out why he had wanted to meet him in secret. While they sometimes kept things from Wormtail (for his own safety of course) they never left Moony out of the picture. 'Then again,' he thought, 'maybe Remus has something to do with it.' So he refrained from asking him about it, but remained curious and uncomfortable.

*`*`*

Remus was trying to figure out why Clio had never told them about this strange new "Sensei," as they called her. He knew that Sensei was Japanese term of respect for a Teacher but that didn't help at all. The teachers complexion didn't look fair enough to be Japanese, then again neither did Thalia's. She also seemed to go by different names, but why? That was only half of what was bothering him. The other half was bothered by the fact that he had no right to expect anything from Clio, since he hadn't told her about his secret yet. He also wondered if he should.

*`*`*

James was last in the group. He, however, wasn't thinking about meeting Sirius in the Owlry in a few minutes, but he was thinking about the girls, at least one of the girls. 'I wonder what Lily has in mind to tell me? I never thought of her as any great mystery until today. She was just Lilly, School Prefect, excellent charms student, good Quidditch player, sometimes funny, sometimes annoying.' He ignored the part of his brain saying, 'Yes, and all the time cute.' He realized that everyone probably thought the same thing about him, and look what he did at night. He ran around with a giant dog, a rat, and a werewolf. Owned an invisibility cloak and was working on making a magic map of the school. 'If that's what I do, what is she up to?' He was also wondering why Sirius kept shooting him funny looks. 'Guess he finally lost it, I would too, if I was dating Thalia.'

*`*`*

"Prongs, Padfoot, Moony?" Peter called, snapping them out of their thoughts.

"Yeah, Wormtail?"

"Have you ever told the girls my nickname?"

"No, why? Do they know it?" They asked rather panicky, stopping in their tracks.

"I think Thalia does. I mean, I could have sworn she called me 'Wormtail' it in class today."

"Hey, don't look at me, I never said a thing." Sirius held up his hands defensively as everyone turned frowning at him.

Remus became thoughtful, "She probably just heard us calling him that, we haven't been very careful around the girls, you know."

"Yeah, but is that all she knows?" James asked rubbing his chin.

"Don't know." Peter said.

"Are any of you going to talk to the girls tonight?" Remus said steadily.

"Yeah, I am. I have another study session with Lily tonight." James waited for Sirius to say something, but he just raised an eyebrow.

Sirius was, in fact, wondering how James could have a study session with Lily and meet him in the Owlry at the same time. 'I bet it's just a cover up,' he thought. It still felt weird lying to the others; he would have to remember to tell James he didn't want to do it anymore. He sighed and winked at James, who looked back confused.

"What are you doing tonight, Sirius?" asked Remus

"Err, um, I'm gonna write home to mum, tell her about my latest detention before Mcgonagall dose. How 'bout you?"

"I think I'm gonna find Clio, did anybody notice how weird their reaction to the new teacher was. It was like they knew her or something." The others nodded.

"Well I have to finish my potions essay, that should only take me all night." Peter pouted.

The others repressed laughs and Remus told him he would help after he talked to Clio, they all agreed likewise.

Sirius checked his watch 4:20; he excused himself from the others and ran up the stairway. James soon followed suit, but ran for the library, not the Owlry.

Peter went to the Gryffindor Common Room. At first, Remus went with him, but when Clio wasn't there, or in her dormitory, he ran to the lake and the old oak tree that was next to it. If he or Clio could never find each other, they always went there. He found Clio, but she was up on the highest limb in the tree. He never knew she could climb like that. She had a strangely grim and determined look on her tear stained face. He hugged her and asked what was wrong. She responded with a very odd answer, "One of the strongest resistances against Voldemort has died and the wizarding world is going to suffer for it. That's why Professor Midnight is back, to guard us. Listen Remus, I haven't been very honest with you, I know what you are, and I don't care."

Remus stared at her for a moment, baffled, as singled tear rolled down Clio's face; he hesitated for an instant before wiping it way and kissing her fully on the lips.

*`*`*`*`*`*

Sirius looked around at all the owls confused. He knew James hadn't followed him but went to the library instead. Yet, his note sounded to urgent for him to have just have forgotten, "Even if the opportunity for him to snog with Lily came up, I would think he would at least have the decency to reschedule instead of keeping me waiting."

Suddenly, an angry orange/ginger fur-ball landed on his head.

"Hey! Get off!"

The cat jumped down and eyed him angrily.

"What did I ever do to you anyway? Get lost! You're probably only up here to terrorize the owls anyway, aren't you?" Sirius shook his head, he could have sworn the cat stuck out it's tongue at him before turning it's toilet brush tail in the air and sauntering away. There was silence for a moment then a loud snapping was heard. Sirius swung around to see a black Raven give a call from one of the stone windows. "Now what are you doing in here?" If he remembered correctly, Ravens and Owls didn't normally venture into each other's homes. He looked around but only a few owls seemed to have noticed, and they were all sitting on their perches, respectfully leaving the Raven alone. It flew up to the rafters and he heard another pop, but nothing happened. "This is just too weird, where are you James?" He wondered out loud.

The sun was about to begin setting, casting an orange and pink glow over everything.

"He isn't coming," a familiar voice said from above.

Sirius looked up just in time to see Thalia jump down from the highest rafter, cloak billowing out behind her. She landed with a surprisingly soft thud, seemingly not phased in the least and calmly began walking towards him. "Thalia are you crazy, you could have broken your neck," He didn't know why, but he was taking a step back every time she came a step closer. "And what do you mean, he's not coming. Why wouldn't he? He sent me a note saying to be here."

"No, he didn't. I sent you a note telling you to meet me here," she said in the same sedate tone, as if commenting on the weather, and taking a few more steps, bringing her closer to him.

"But, why." Sirius said, growing more uncomfortable by the second, 'what kind of girl leaps from rafters anyway.' He thought, 'I always knew Thalia was a little of the wall, but this is just too weird.'

"It was easier that way, I knew you wouldn't question Prongs, and you would be on time for him too. The full moon is tomorrow night, so we don't have a lot of time to clear things up and form our plan." She said, settled herself demurely on the windowsill.

Sirius swallowed hard. If she did fall out of the window, it was a long way down, yet she didn't seem to mind. What was even more disturbing was what she had just said. "How did you know James' nickname, and Peter's for that matter?"

"Oh, so little Wormtail was clever enough to tell you I knew his name? I didn't think he was, shows how much I know. Actually it doesn't."

"What do you know?" Sirius said reluctantly taking a few steps forward when she beckoned him to with a simple clear look.

"You don't have to be scared, I'm not a werewolf or anything. I just know what you don't want me to know."

Sirius blinked and came another step closer. "Not all werewolf's are bad, but you know that already though, don't you?" He said, testing a theory that was rapidly forming in his mind.

"Trust me, I do. One saved my life, though he didn't know it was me."

"If he didn't know it was you, who'd he think it was? Or more importantly, who'd you think he was?"

Thalia cawed like a raven in greeting to a few owls as they passed into the rapidly setting sunset and said, "I'm not sure who he thought I was, but to cut to the chase Sirius, I do know who he was, we all know." She paused before dealing the final blow, "Remus is a werewolf."

Sirius felt like a ton of bricks just hit him in the face.

"We also know that you, James, and Peter, are Animagi."

Sirius' mouth was in danger of falling off.

"You are a huge black dog, resembling a Grim. No doubt you took that form because of your star and constellation, it's an awful pun dear. Your name, is Padfoot. James is a great stag. His name is Prongs. Did he get the idea from Hagrid? Let me know I have a bet with the girls going on that."

Sirius wondered idly how she could possible have a bet going on something like this.

"Peter is a rat, Wormtail, and I still can't believe he had enough skill to become an Animagi."

Sirius suddenly had a flash of insight, "And what type of Animagi are you girls?"

Thalia sighed, "We aren't Animagi, I wish we were, things would be easier. And don't worry, none of us think badly about Remus. It's not his fault he was bitten by a wolf."

"Dose this have something to do with our new teacher?" Sirius said, finally coming up all the to Thalia and siting on a bench next to the window.

"Yes, and I'm glad you're sitting, this could take a while." Seeing the panicky look on Sirius's face she laughed, "Don't worry, I brought us up some food, you won't miss dinner!"

*`*`*`*`*`*

James ran panting into the Library, Madam Prince pursed her lips but said nothing, just watched him as he franticly searched for Lily. He finally found her on the top flour of the Library; she was sitting on a cushioned windowsill staring out at the sunset. James stopped dead in his tracks. He had never noticed what a sunset dose to a girl's face before, and if he had, it did something totally different and amazing to Lily's.

'Oh my God! Lily's gorgeous! Shoot! This is weird, what do I say?' His thoughts were quickly turning to panic.

'You dim whit! She's always looked like that!' A persistently annoyed and frustrated voice said into the back of his head.

'NO, She hasn't, she must have done something,' he quickly thought back.

'NO, I've been trying to tell you for the last five years that she was a great catch. But you keep misunderstanding me and playing practical jokes on her instead.'

'Who are you anyway?' James said, choosing to ignore the last statement and changing the subject, instead of admitting that the voice was right.

'I'm your dating conscious," it said, as if that was an obvious and known fact.

'What? Where were you when I dated those other girls?'

'In a very dark place, sobbing, because my master was so dimwitted. I mean, come on, James, think about it. Kimi, Tammy, Gracie, Chrissy, Bambi, Stacey, Candy…'

'What about them?'

'Do the words, "Dumb bimbos greatly resembling a Barbie doll with even less of an I.Q." mean anything to you?'

'Yes, but that's not helping me.'

'Why should I help you? You've been ignoring my excellent advice for years."

'Because it's your job, and that was very pompous of you.'

'If it's my job then I quit. Of course that was pompous, I'm part of YOU remember?'

'Oh, shut up!'

'See, always telling me to shut up. It's very rude, and rudeness is not becoming on a man of your age.'

'Is it at any age?'

"Well, I think it's expected of old folks, they grumble enough anyway.' It said in an offhand, innocent, voice.

It wasn't enough to fool James. This was his head after all, and he knew what went on there. 'That was uncalled for.'

'I doing things before they are called for, that way I'm always ahead of the game.'

'What game?'

'The game I'm playing with you right now. See I'm winning, Lily is staring at you like you're mad.'

'You did that on purpose!'

'Yes, I did. Ah revenge is sweet!'

'You little!'

'Remember James, if you try to punish me, you'll only be hurting yourself.' The voice teased.

'I can't believe this! My own brains turned against me!'

'I just find it amazing you have a brain.'

'…' Was James only response

*`*`*

"James?" Lily said as she looking up to see him staring at her oddly. "Are you okay?"

He tried to shake his stupor off, "What?"

She laughed, "Never mind, just come over here, I don't want Madam Prince peeved at me because I'm shouting across the hallway to you. " James obediently trotted across the hallway and stood in front of Lilly; she had never seen him so serious before.

"Now, what is it you wanted to talk to me about."

She sighed deeply, "Thalia is going to kill me," she murmured.

"Why?"

"Because I'm about to spill the beans, but I can't tell you lies anymore." She said sounding almost desperate. Then her tone changed to the defensive; "Big lies at least. I still intend on pulling major pranks on you, Prongsy, so don't assume I'm going soft."

"Wouldn't dream of it… You've been lying to me?" He said, stuttering slightly, Lilly was never dishonest, or so he thought.

"You and the entire student body really. Everybody except Dumbledore and Pixie-Sensei."

James sat down very confused, "I…"

"Just shut up and listen, no matter how confusing it is, just listen." He nodded, "Thalia, Clio, and I have known that Remus was a werewolf since first year."

James eyes widened and he opened his mouth, she covered it with her hand and said, "Just listen, remember?" He nodded once again and she removed her hand, for some reason, he wished she hadn't. "We didn't care that he's a werewolf because of what we were, and we knew that Dumbledore wouldn't let him in unless he had a way to keep the students safe, but we were worried about how you guys would act. That was until you started to, err, 'secretly,' research how to be an Animagi. Then we knew you would never drop a friend just because they were something, odd. When you actually pulled off the Animagi thing we really considered telling you, but we just couldn't figure out how. But now, I'm going to tell you, I really am." She sounded so determined, as if something was trying to rip them apart. Then she looked back out the window.

Two minutes had past before James finally said, "Look, I know I'm not supposed to talk or anything, but what were you going to tell us, and why bother now?"

"Because Professor Midnight said she'd never come back to guard us unless something really bad was going to happen. And, incase you haven't noticed, she's back."

James wondered who on earth couldn't have noticed.

"But Lily, something bad already is happening, You Know Who's running ramped out there, remember?"

"You mean Voldemort?" James made an indistinct noise, looking scandalized. "Sorry," Lily said quickly, "I forgot. When it's just the girls and me we always just say his name. Midnight told us never to have fear in just a name; it makes the person more powerful if he's already got you psyched out like that. Erg, I can't keep beating around the bush like this."

James eyebrows were in danger of mixing with his hairline, he had never seen Lilly this flustered before. She was always so calm and neutral, either that or shrieking at him, but never nervous. "Okay, I'm sure you've guessed we already know Professor Midnight really well, correct?"

James nodded

"Well that's because when I was a little girl I showed signs of a "gift," as they called it. I could communicate with animals; they trusted me like I was one of their own. Then one day, out of the blue, this girl showed up, she was tall, had black hair and black eye's and she was wearing Dragon leather boots, past her knees."

James mouth was open, not to speak, just open.

"My parents were really freaked by what she said at first, but with a small demonstration of power, Midnight convinced them to let me go and train. She was a very odd person, but a great teacher. She told me what my powers were and how I could use them if I trained hard enough. It was a hard choice to make when you are only six and half, but I choose to go live with her and become the best I could be. She helped me perfect my skill and eventually, take on my first form as a Natural." This whole time, Lily had been talking out the window, as if she was afraid to look at James.

"You're a Natural?" James practically squeaked, "We read about those when we were trying to become Animagi. Hundreds of years ago there was an enchant clan of people that could turn into animals. There was a rebellion, a group of them supposedly thought that they were better than other wizards because of their extra powers. When the rest of the colony refused to agree, they formed a revolt, and secretly plotted what they thought would be the downfall of the lesser humans. They became the first Vampires and Werewolves, feeding off of those with power. But when they couldn't control it, they were forced to return to their roots and ask for help. The help was granted, but they were cast out because they had harmed innocent humans and turned them into evil beings. The blameless ones warned people and helped make the spells to form the first group of Animagi, to fight against any remaining evil. But soon after that, the race died out."

"Most think so, but the Naturals were powerful sorcerers. They cast spells so that even when they became extinct, every three or four decades, a small group of them would be born. The new group is currently Clio, Thalia, and myself. Clio turns into a snow owl, and Thalia likes to be a raven, most of the time. I myself favor a Phoenix."

James was now staring at her in a state of complete shock. Lilly coward back, "James, what's wrong?"

"What's wrong?" he croaked, "I can't believe you just asked me that question. Three of my best friends are birds, and I don't mean in the slang term, you are actually birds! That's… amazing" his voice turned from bewildered to exited, "So I guess that's how you met Thalia and Clio right?"

She wrinkled her nose, "Yes, and no. Midnight trained Clio and Thalia before I came, she had originally planned to teach all of us at once, but I was harder to find, being born in a Muggle family. So Thalia and Clio were already back with their family's when I came. It was just Midnight and I. It was a really lonely existence at first, but Pixie-sensei always comforted me. We would sit next to the fire and bond over stories about or brothers and sisters; I had a sister Petunia. We used to be best friends, but as soon as she found at about my magic she practically disowned me. I was never quite sure if it was because I scared her, or if she was jealous. Anyway, I had zillions of stories of her making an idiot out of herself because of her prissy habits. Midnight had two brothers. I found out later that they weren't really her brothers. Her parents had been killed when she was young, but a powerful wizard and his two guardians, whom she labeled her brothers, took her in. They were extremely funny apparently; but when I think about it, I can't imagine her living with normal people."

James just tried to register all this as she quickly sped on.

"By age seven I had completed more than half of my training and was caught up with the other girls. Thalia and Clio came for a visit right before I left; we spent most of the time in animal form since we can communicate either way. Midnight told us we all had another form to find, but she couldn't help us this time. We had to search our souls and find them; we couldn't even ask each other for help. That's why I drifted from the others, but Thalia and Clio stayed close because their families were. Then I came to Hogwarts. We didn't recognize each other at first, but when we transformed, it was obvious who we were."

"That's amazing Lilly, and I thought being an Animagi was cool."

Lilly laughed, a little bit forced, but mostly genuine, "I think it is cool to be an Animagi James, you probably have less responsibilities. But do you think, if the others won't mind, that we could go with you tomorrow, since it's the full moon? I mean there's no way Remus could hurt us and we've always wanted to go out just to have fun. We could fly out our window so you don't have to worry about the invisibility cloak."

James was taken back by the pleading look on Lilly's face, who could deny that? "I guess so, I mean the others will have to know about you all too."

"I think that can be arranged, by the way the girls were acting after myths class, they will have told the other boys by now. In fact…." She trailed off, closed her eyes, and sent out a wave of magic. James gasped as the surge of power swept past him. "Yes, they've all told. I don't think Peter would know yet though."

James looked at her blankly and blinked several times before he managed to say, "What the heck?" Lilly started to laugh when the sound of a book dropping was heard. Someone swore and ran off.

"What was that?" James asked, jumping up. Lilly stuck her hand out in front of him to block him from charging off.

She sniffed the air in a very animal like way. "A human."

"Duh Lilly, and why'd you stop me? They'll have gotten away by now."

"You never know around here, and what were you going to do? Run out there and yell at them until they told us what they heard?"

"The thought had crossed my mind."

"Don't be ridiculous! We'll have to be extra careful now."

He looked at her with questions in his eyes and shrugged it off, "I'll ask you about that later."

She nodded and quietly walked around the shelf, picked up a book that was lying in the middle of the floor and sniffed. She made a grotesque face and dropped the book, "EWW! That is one of the worst human smells ever!" She shivered.

"What kind was it?"

"A Slytherin."

"That lot would smell bad, wouldn't they? But Lily, how much did they here?"

"The smell is fresh and it was lingering here for a couple minutes before its owner took off." James groaned, "It gets worse, the smell belongs to THE worst Slytherin, we've unfortunately had to smell it before in potions class."

"No way, anyone but-"

"Snape."

"But he'll run and tell Dumbledore!"

"It would be great if he did, Dumbledore knows all about this and will back us up." James suddenly became very interested in a large pile of books, "James," Lilly said in dangerously low voice; "you did tell him right?"

"Tell him what?" He said, still not meeting her eyes.

"That your guys are Animagi!"

James looked at the floor and coughed.

"Oh, I don't believe this! How could you be so stupid!"

"Hey! If we told Dumbledore what we were going to do, he never would have let us!"

"Well then why didn't you tell him after you became Animagi, he couldn't have stopped you then, you were already transformed!"

He looked at her blankly, "We never thought of that."

"ERR! BOYS are the biggest bunch of IMBISILES I ever met in my LIFE!" she yelled, her fist balled in appending rage.

Madam Prince's angry footsteps could be heard running up the staircases.

*`*`*

James self named "Dating Conscious" was whispering,

' …really hot you know. Like a spitting kitten ready to pounce on a puzzled puppy that did something naughty in the hallway.'

'What?' James thought, dreading the answer.

'She's hot dude, you two would go together well. Just lean in and-'

*`*`*

"Oh! Just shut up for a minute!" James said, out loud.

"What?" Lily seemed puzzled enough to forget her anger; at least she seemed that way. "I didn't say anything," she continued, "I was planning on just killing you without words!" she continued to stalk up to him, glaring.

"Ugh! I hate my brain!"

"You have a brain?" Lily asked, even more confused, stopping.

"Shut up! I mean… what I meant was… forget it! We should find the others before we get detentions, and we'll talk about that boy comment later. " He grabbed her arm and dragged her out of the library.

Hey, Mr. Hero Walking a thin, fine line
Under the microscope of life
Remember your roots, my friend
They're right down below
'Cause heroes come and heroes go
Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one
Count down to the change in life that's soon to come
Your life has just begun

*`*`*`*`*`*

A.N. ::dances happily out of reach of several bombs:: Yes, I do intend to leave you like that! Ha, ha! Oh, wait no, I've already posted the next chapter! You may thank me with reviews if you wish. The song you ask? "Are you Ready" by Creed off of the "Human Clay" Album.