Uh oh! ItÕs a full moon! Gack! WhatÕs going to happen? Only one way to find out! Now read and review, I say! Read and review! Mwahahahaha!
-Red
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ÒHurry,Ó Lily breathed, realizing the seriousness of the situation. Remus, hurt. Lily ducked out from under the cloak and took off running towards the Womping Willow.
ÒLily, wait!Ó James and Sirius called after her, running behind her. As they ran, they transformed into a big black dog and a stag. Lily turned to look as the dog and the stag passed her and realized the connection between their nicknames and the forms their bodies took as Animagi.
ÒPadfoot, Prongs,Ó she whispered, running faster. ÒMoony!Ó
The dog darted through the swishing branches of the tree and hit a knothole with its paws. The tree immediately froze and the dog disappeared through the passageway that had just been reviled. The stag and Lily too disappeared through the passage, the stag taking the form of James again.
ÒCome on, Lily!Ó James said, taking her hand and dragging her deeper into the tunnel. After a couple of minutes, they emerged to find themselves in the Shrieking Shack.
ÒWhere is he?Ó Lily asked. Sirius and James turned to look at her. She was practically in tears and her face was completely white.
ÒThis way,Ó said Sirius gruffly. They lead her upstairs and Sirius stopped pointing to a door in the middle of the hall. Lily gulped. Was she really going to do this? I mean, I am going to face a fully grown, agitated werewolf. She hesitated, then slowly walked to the door and laid a hand on the handle. She laid her ear on the door quickly. Silence. She was about to turn the knob when someone laid a hand on her shoulder. She turned around and saw a head of messy black hair with amber eyes.
ÒLily...be careful.Ó James looked really worried.
ÒI will.Ó
James sighed and stepped back. Lily turned the knob.
The sight in front of her was horrible. There was blood all over the ground and on parts of the wall. She spotted Remus lying in a heap in the far corner of the room. Thankfully, he had changed back into a human. She gasped and ran over to his lifeless body, tears in her eyes. Sirius and James looked in with wide eyes and then followed Lily.
Lily observed him for a moment and then sat back on her heels. ÒSirius, go and get bandages and a healing potion from the Madame PomfreyÕs. James, go and get some water and a clean wash cloth.Ó Sirius and James dashed from the room.
Lily leaned over Remus and brushed a few strands of hair from his face. ÒOh, Remus,Ó she breathed, letting a lone tear escape and fall onto his cheek. She could hear Remus gasp for breath once and try and move his head to look at her.
ÒLily?Ó
ÒYah....Ó
ÒThanks,Ó he said weakly before dropping back in to unconsciousness once more.
Lily smiled slightly, a smile that did not reach her eyes, and turned as James came dashing into the room.
ÒThanks,Ó she said quietly. James sat down next to her and watched her begin to clean RemusÕs wounds with gently and steady hands. She was frowning and every so often, he heard her sniff.
A few minutes later, Sirius returned with three bottles in his hands and many bandages. Lily took them from him and set to work, giving Remus the potions and wrapping RemusÕs wounds with the soft fabric. She then stood up and took out her wand.
ÒOk, IÕll try as best I can to heal some of the wounds.Ó Lily sniffed again, and James and Sirius looked up at her again. ÒWingardium Leviosa,Ó she levitated him. ÒIncantatio,Ó he stopped bleeding. ÒBreakeum Imendo,Ó his one broken leg glowed a soft purple light and then straightened, the bones back in place. She let a few tears escape again. ÒLetÕs go.Ó The four went downstairs, careful not to bump Remus into the wall. They walked through the tunnel, Sirius turning into a dog again and running out to tap the knothole for the others.
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The common room was silent the next morning. It was a Sunday so no one had any classes. Sirius, James, Remus, and Lily were sitting on the couch, staring into the fire.
Finally Lily asked what had been on her mind since last night. ÒWhy didnÕt you tell me?Ó
ÒTell what?Ó James asked weakly.
ÒAbout, you know.Ó
ÒOh. ItÕs just, we havenÕt told anyone else, except Peter Pettigrew, who we needed to become one with us so he could reach the knothole, thought Sirius has it down pretty well.Ó
ÒBy the way...where IS Peter?Ó
ÒWe donÕt know,Ó said Remus.
ÒWe think he died,Ó commented Sirius.
ÒYup. Just went off and got himself blown up or something,Ó added James.
ÒVery funny, you two,Ó Lily said, laughing quietly.
ÒWell, actually, heÕs been hanging out with other people,Ó Remus put it in.
The four of them laughed and then decided to head down to the Great Hall for lunch.
ÒWhere have you all been?Ó asked Chelsea when the Marauders and Lily sat down at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall. They had decided it would be better not to eat that morning and just discuss what had happened last night.
ÒOh,Ó Remus said, ÒWe were talking.Ó He waved his hand dissuasively. ÒWhat have you and Kate been doing all morning?Ó he asked kindly.
ÒHomework, mostly,Ó said Kate. She smiled. ÒWe have been in the library, etc. Sometimes just to pass the time. You know...it IS kind of getting boring, now that everyone is so busy with homework and everything. We havenÕt pulled any major pranks in at least two months!Ó She sighed and grabbed a muffin from the basket in the middle of the table.
ÒHmm, yes,Ó said Sirius. ÒHow about, we all go down to the grounds by the lake today and practice our dismissing spells using balloons filled with water, like the muggles use!Ó He sounded very excited.
ÒSirius, theyÕre called water balloons, you dolt,Ó Lily said, exasperated.
ÒThanks, Red,Ó Sirius said, acting as though her words were a huge compliment.
ÒYou welcome, Padfoot.Ó She grinned and the Marauders got her meaning.
-Red
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ÒHurry,Ó Lily breathed, realizing the seriousness of the situation. Remus, hurt. Lily ducked out from under the cloak and took off running towards the Womping Willow.
ÒLily, wait!Ó James and Sirius called after her, running behind her. As they ran, they transformed into a big black dog and a stag. Lily turned to look as the dog and the stag passed her and realized the connection between their nicknames and the forms their bodies took as Animagi.
ÒPadfoot, Prongs,Ó she whispered, running faster. ÒMoony!Ó
The dog darted through the swishing branches of the tree and hit a knothole with its paws. The tree immediately froze and the dog disappeared through the passageway that had just been reviled. The stag and Lily too disappeared through the passage, the stag taking the form of James again.
ÒCome on, Lily!Ó James said, taking her hand and dragging her deeper into the tunnel. After a couple of minutes, they emerged to find themselves in the Shrieking Shack.
ÒWhere is he?Ó Lily asked. Sirius and James turned to look at her. She was practically in tears and her face was completely white.
ÒThis way,Ó said Sirius gruffly. They lead her upstairs and Sirius stopped pointing to a door in the middle of the hall. Lily gulped. Was she really going to do this? I mean, I am going to face a fully grown, agitated werewolf. She hesitated, then slowly walked to the door and laid a hand on the handle. She laid her ear on the door quickly. Silence. She was about to turn the knob when someone laid a hand on her shoulder. She turned around and saw a head of messy black hair with amber eyes.
ÒLily...be careful.Ó James looked really worried.
ÒI will.Ó
James sighed and stepped back. Lily turned the knob.
The sight in front of her was horrible. There was blood all over the ground and on parts of the wall. She spotted Remus lying in a heap in the far corner of the room. Thankfully, he had changed back into a human. She gasped and ran over to his lifeless body, tears in her eyes. Sirius and James looked in with wide eyes and then followed Lily.
Lily observed him for a moment and then sat back on her heels. ÒSirius, go and get bandages and a healing potion from the Madame PomfreyÕs. James, go and get some water and a clean wash cloth.Ó Sirius and James dashed from the room.
Lily leaned over Remus and brushed a few strands of hair from his face. ÒOh, Remus,Ó she breathed, letting a lone tear escape and fall onto his cheek. She could hear Remus gasp for breath once and try and move his head to look at her.
ÒLily?Ó
ÒYah....Ó
ÒThanks,Ó he said weakly before dropping back in to unconsciousness once more.
Lily smiled slightly, a smile that did not reach her eyes, and turned as James came dashing into the room.
ÒThanks,Ó she said quietly. James sat down next to her and watched her begin to clean RemusÕs wounds with gently and steady hands. She was frowning and every so often, he heard her sniff.
A few minutes later, Sirius returned with three bottles in his hands and many bandages. Lily took them from him and set to work, giving Remus the potions and wrapping RemusÕs wounds with the soft fabric. She then stood up and took out her wand.
ÒOk, IÕll try as best I can to heal some of the wounds.Ó Lily sniffed again, and James and Sirius looked up at her again. ÒWingardium Leviosa,Ó she levitated him. ÒIncantatio,Ó he stopped bleeding. ÒBreakeum Imendo,Ó his one broken leg glowed a soft purple light and then straightened, the bones back in place. She let a few tears escape again. ÒLetÕs go.Ó The four went downstairs, careful not to bump Remus into the wall. They walked through the tunnel, Sirius turning into a dog again and running out to tap the knothole for the others.
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The common room was silent the next morning. It was a Sunday so no one had any classes. Sirius, James, Remus, and Lily were sitting on the couch, staring into the fire.
Finally Lily asked what had been on her mind since last night. ÒWhy didnÕt you tell me?Ó
ÒTell what?Ó James asked weakly.
ÒAbout, you know.Ó
ÒOh. ItÕs just, we havenÕt told anyone else, except Peter Pettigrew, who we needed to become one with us so he could reach the knothole, thought Sirius has it down pretty well.Ó
ÒBy the way...where IS Peter?Ó
ÒWe donÕt know,Ó said Remus.
ÒWe think he died,Ó commented Sirius.
ÒYup. Just went off and got himself blown up or something,Ó added James.
ÒVery funny, you two,Ó Lily said, laughing quietly.
ÒWell, actually, heÕs been hanging out with other people,Ó Remus put it in.
The four of them laughed and then decided to head down to the Great Hall for lunch.
ÒWhere have you all been?Ó asked Chelsea when the Marauders and Lily sat down at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall. They had decided it would be better not to eat that morning and just discuss what had happened last night.
ÒOh,Ó Remus said, ÒWe were talking.Ó He waved his hand dissuasively. ÒWhat have you and Kate been doing all morning?Ó he asked kindly.
ÒHomework, mostly,Ó said Kate. She smiled. ÒWe have been in the library, etc. Sometimes just to pass the time. You know...it IS kind of getting boring, now that everyone is so busy with homework and everything. We havenÕt pulled any major pranks in at least two months!Ó She sighed and grabbed a muffin from the basket in the middle of the table.
ÒHmm, yes,Ó said Sirius. ÒHow about, we all go down to the grounds by the lake today and practice our dismissing spells using balloons filled with water, like the muggles use!Ó He sounded very excited.
ÒSirius, theyÕre called water balloons, you dolt,Ó Lily said, exasperated.
ÒThanks, Red,Ó Sirius said, acting as though her words were a huge compliment.
ÒYou welcome, Padfoot.Ó She grinned and the Marauders got her meaning.