His Last Chance

Yay! I loved the last chapter! I absolutely did! One of the few chapters I actually commend myself on. Well. I think you all sort of guessed what creature it was. I mean, what would make you gasp in horror? Enjoy! –Moony

Chapter 10

A huge black shadow was casting over her. Something was wrong and eerie. The next thing she knew, the stag was nudging her back to the grounds. But why? What was that thing? She tried to turn around, but the dog bounded up and nipped at her heels. The two animals were pushing her back. What were they hiding? The animals couldn't possibly be true animals... or did they sense some kind of danger?

The next thing she knew, the dog and the stag had disappeared, and she was in the darkness of the Great Hall. What had just went on? Then she realized who she was, where she was, and what she was doing. In haste she flew up the stairs, and back into the common room. She couldn't even remember if she had told the Fat Lady the password or not. All she knew was that she was supposed to be in bed. And she slept well until morning, forgetting about the scene on the Hogwarts grounds through her sleep.

The Marauders however, did not have quite such an easy time forgetting about what had happened and had a sleepless night. They wanted to know, how did Lily get outside? Another danger was that she had almost seen Remus as a werewolf and she could have been bitten too. James couldn't have stood that. But how did she know? Would she figure out what they were? And if she did, what would she do with the information? James knew Lily wasn't a tattletale, but he couldn't help being well... worried. Why had Lily gone out anyway? Was it to apologize to him? Oh the heck with this stupid crush!

Lily was in a fairly ok mood the next day. Though she vaguely had memories about a dog and a stag, she just thought it was some dream she had. Until she was wondering why James didn't seem to be so well... annoying toward her. Then she remembered. At first, she thought it might have been a dream, but she knew it wasn't. She felt the part where the stag's antlers had nudged her. It pained a little bit, but not too much, and she knew she hadn't hit that place anywhere. No sir, it wasn't a dream. So what were a dog and a stag doing on the grounds? And what the heck was that eerie shadow? And why was James looking so worried? Was he involved somehow? He certainly looked worried, or maybe that was because she had told him off yesterday? But then again...

Lily racked her brains thinking how a James or any human could be involved with an animal that was rarely seen on the grounds. She resolved to ask their Care of Magical Creatures teacher when she had that class if dogs and stags roamed the grounds. When she asked, Professor Iris laughed and said, "Common Muggle animals like that be found only in Muggle parks. There be none of them stags or dogs 'ere. Why ye asking? Ye spy sum of them Muggle animals 'ere?"

"Oh no! I was just wondering if it was possible."

"Nope. Animals couldn't find their way here. Only these beauties wizard animals be knowing that 'Ogwarts is 'ere. Now ye run along now and look at them Bowtruckles."

Lily nodded and went back to the pile of small twigs that were Bowtruckles. For the first time, she didn't pay attention to what Professor Iris said. She was thinking about the night before. If a dog or a stag couldn't find their way onto the grounds, then how on earth did those two she saw last night get here? Could they possibly be magical dogs and stags that hadn't been discovered yet? Or maybe Professor Iris didn't know about those rare species. On the other hand, it could have been a dream... but somehow Lily knew it wasn't a dream, and she was determined to figure it out. What it all meant.

After Care of Magical Creatures, she grabbed a bit of lunch and headed to the library to look up animals.

"Madam Prince (A/N: I can't remember if it was Pince or Prince, and I'm too lazy to look it up)," she said.

Madam Prince looked up, her eagle eyes seemed to be searching Lily, as if knowing she was going to do something mischievous. When it seemed she passed the inspection, Madam Prince sighed and said,

"What do you want?"

"I was wondering if you had any books on magical creatures, all the ones that are known about and that exist."

Madam Prince sniffed.

"I wonder why ever you would want to know about those, but there is a book called Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them," she said, and rummaged on under her desk. She emerged with a worn-out red book.

"Thank you Madam Prince," Lily said politely, and went to find a chair or table to read it.

It had everything from Chimaeras, to Manticores, and Hippogriffs, and some gigantic spider she had forgotten the name of. Lily enjoyed the book very much and found it extremely fascinating, but there was no creature that looked like a stag or a dog that described the Muggle animals she saw yesterday. Were they really a new species? If they were, Lily thought, then that would mean, she would be famous for discovering a new kind of magical animal. But somehow, she had a feeling that they weren't.

Lily gave the book back to Madam Prince and walked out of the library pondering. Was there anyway that James and his idiot friends could've managed to smuggle a stag and a dog and some eerie, dangerous creature into Hogwarts?

"Impossible," Lily said to herself.

And suddenly, a face popped up.

"What's impossible?" a voice said quietly. Lily recognized that voice. James Potter. And at the exact moment, something hit her. Some information that surged her brain all of a sudden from Transfiguration that solved everything. Animagustry. Were James, and Peter, and Sirius, and Remus Animagus? They were so young... how could they master it? She needed to check the list of Animagus wizards and witches, but James was in her way. And if James were looking so worried like that, he probably hoped Lily didn't know.

Lily looked up, trying to think of a lie to go.

"Nothing... just that, I got a D on my Potions test, and I went to the library to look up the questions I got wrong, and they were all right. So I went to ask the Professor about it, but he said that they were of course wrong."

James studied her a moment, and his face seemed to relax a bit.

"Why do you ask?" Lily asked.

"Well... nothing. I just thought... never mind. Er – good-bye Lily."

That was odd. Lily knew she could have apologized to him right there, and obviously, James still thought she wasn't worth it anymore, but Lily needed to figure this out. She turned her heel and went back to the library.

Madam Prince sniffed.

"What was the point of running back after 5 seconds?"

"I'm sorry Madam, I just... I just forgot to look up one thing."

"Well make it quick, I'm on my lunch break, and I can't leave a student alone in here by themselves," she said, as if Lily was going to destroy her books or something.

"Do you have a list of all registered Animagus?"

"Yes I do. Why do you need it?"

"I'm doing a report on Animagi wizards and witches, and I wanted to know how many Animagi wizards and witches there are in the world."

"Eight, you don't need the list for that," Madam Prince replied.

"Please ma'am, I'd like to know their names too."

"Oh all right," Madam Prince sighed, and handed her a list.

The list was short, but Lily was sure, she didn't see any Remus Lupin, James Potter, Peter Pettigrew, or Sirius Black on the list.

"Thank you ma'am, I'll be on my way now," she said and hurried out of the library.

Would this mean that the four of them were unregistered Animagi? Lily knew that was against the laws of magic. She wasn't sure what the punishment was, but judging by the worry of James' face, it was heavy. Lily couldn't turn young boys in. She wasn't a tattletale for one, and for another, somehow, it bothered her to imagine four young students in a prison cell with Dementors guarding. No. She would keep this information to herself, and figure out if it were true.

Her head was spinning, when all of a sudden, she remembered – it wasn't a Saturday, and she still had classes. She looked at her watch and gave a scream. She was late! And she hadn't her bag with her! She would have to take up at least ten minutes to go to the Common Room to retrieve her bag, and then she would take ten more minutes to get to Charms.

Rushing up the stairs, she grabbed her bag and nearly flew down the stairs to Charms. Oh she was late, she was late! Luckily that day, there was much commotion, what with the attempts to silence frogs and crows, so Lily was able to slip in quietly without anyone seeing she was very late. She sat down next to Anneliese, who didn't question her, and silenced her frog. Professor Flitwick didn't even notice that she hadn't been there for the past 25 minutes when he exclaimed,

"Oh wonderful! Miss Evans has finally managed to do so!"

Lily gave a weak smile.

That night in the common room, she waited until everyone was gone, so she could sit alone and contemplate her thoughts. She watched as everyone slowly trudged up to bed at nearly midnight, and finally, when the four Marauders rose. But James however, sat right back down again, and nodded to his friends, who turned and went up the dormitory. Oh dear. She closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep in the chair, but out of the corner of her eye, she saw James walk over.

"You can't hide Lily. I know you're awake," he said.

Lily sat up, gritting her teeth and jerking her head to face his. Somehow, James' face didn't have the angry impact as it should have. Instead, somehow, she felt her tension fall.

"You probably know," he said softly.

"Know what?" Lily asked, innocently. Apparently, James was as stupid as she had thought.

"You know what I'm talking about."

"No, I don't."

James squinted at her and stared into her emerald eyes.

"Yes you do."

Lily sighed. There was no way you could avoid that. It was as if he had the power of legillmency (sorry, I have no idea how to spell that).

"Yes I do. I figured it out today."

"But Lily, I don't understand, why did you come outside?"

"I..." Lily paused. Should she tell him? Looking at his face, she knew he wouldn't tell.

"I was going to look for you... to apologize... because..."

James cut her off.

"Oh... I see. Do you know about Remus too?"

"Of course I do. As well as Peter. If I know about you, obviously, all your other friends are Animagi."

James' face tightened.

He was debating whether to tell her. He knew Lily wouldn't tattletale, but Remus was counting on him to keep a secret. But Lily needed to know. So she would be out of danger. And so she would never come out on full moons.

He looked into Lily's eyes, but this time with fierce intensity, and not love.

"Lily, I'm going to tell you something, that you must promise me, you will never, ever tell anyone."

"What? I already know about the Animagi..."

"It's not that. It's about Remus."

Lily looked puzzled.

"Just promise me first," James said, "This is important."

"All right... I promise."

"Remus... he... he... he's a werewolf, all right Lily? That's that eerie shadow you saw last night. And that was dangerous. That was why me and Sirius pushed you back. You must never come out with us on full moon."

James looked at Lily's face. Her green eyes, wide with horror.

"You – you're running around with a werewolf every full moon?"

"They can't bite animals."

Lily nodded slowly.

"You won't tell anyone, Lily, will you?"

"No I won't, that – that is your business."

James nodded.

"I thought I could trust you."

James turned to leave. Lily suddenly remembered something.

"James – wait."

He turned around.

"What?"

"Remember that other day, when I called you all those... names?"

James nodded slowly.

"I – I'm sorry. I just was aggravated. I was really confused. I truly was. I didn't understand. I was... I was too stubborn, and I wasn't going to admit it to myself. But all these years... I have... I have really liked you James. I'm sorry I turned you down so much."

James' eyes turned wide.

"Is that... true?"

Lily nodded. And this time, she did fight it. She knew it.

"Good night Lily... good night."


It's not over yet! Don't worry! Just keep reading!!! Hope you liked this chapter, 'cause I really liked writing it, and it turned out nice. Thanks to all my reviewers!!!