insert average disclaimer

My note to you: They are all currently in about 4th year, Lily convinced Remus to tell the guys he's a werewolf, however, they don't know how they are going to help him. Tom and Lily have spent a few years trying to perfect the Animagus spell, and looking for the book. Now is right before Christmas of their 4th year. Thanks for allowing the funky time change. And for letting my lazy butt not have to rewrite it all. Horay!

Lily felt whole when she was on the ice. Her Grandpapa had taught her to skate, to jump, and to do pretty much anything on the ice. She spent all her time with him on the ice. It was like a home for her. When she was there, nothing could disturb her, nothing except for four guys.

She spun from a scratch to a camel before she noticed the four boys on the edge of the ice. She waved and skated over to them.

"Hullo, Boys!" she said, gliding around them.

"What was that?" Sirius asked.

"What was what? Oh you mean that Scratch going into a Camel?" Lily asked, watching the amazed faces amusedly.

"Yeah, whatever that was. How long have you known how to skate?" Remus asked.

"Since I could walk, my Grandpapa taught me." She smiled sadly at the memory. He had died in June of last year. "You guys know how to skate?" she asked suddenly.

"No." Peter said hurriedly. (Of course he couldn't, after all he is rather clumsy.)

"A little." Remus said.

"Never done it before, but I can try." replied Sirius; he was always willing to try.

"Yeah." James said a bit embarrassed.

"How much?" Lily asked.

"How much what?"

"How much do you know?"

"Oh, umm, I can skate but that's about it."

Lily looked a bit depressed for a moment but then asked, "You guys want to skate?"

"Sure." "I'll try." "Definitely." "No." were her answers, the later coming from Peter.

"Ok, hold on a minute." Lily pulled out her wand and did a reproducing spell three times and handed the skates to the guys. "Here."

Lily skated back out on the ice spinning and jumping when she felt the urge. James had joined her skating around in circles as Sirius kept falling, and dragging Remus down with him.

"Lily, I think Sirius needs help." James pointed out.

"James, that's the understatement of the year. But I'll help." She said sliding over to the ice couple.

"Need help?" Lily asked innocently.

"Just a bit. This git can't stand." Remus said, finally being able to stand.

"Here, Sirius." Lily offered the spoken a hand.

"Thanks, Lily." He muttered.

After 23 minutes, 42 falls on Sirius' part and 4 of them dragging Lily down also, Lily gave up and handed Sirius to James saying, "Have fun and good luck." Before skating off in the opposite direction.

Lily practiced some more jumps and spins before taking off her shoes and heading back inside.

"You all coming?" she asked.

"Yeeeees!!!" Sirius yelled enthusiastically, drowning out the other two responses.

"Well, see you inside." Lily said, picking up her skates and cloak.

Lily and the 'Marauders' as they liked to call themselves now, spent the next couple days play Exploding Snap and Gobstones, having chess tournaments, and challenging other houses to massive snowball fights. (Gryffindor winning of course.) They also pulled a few, not to complex pranks on unsuspecting victims, mostly students and teachers, though a few were ghosts.

On Saturday, Lily had her rendezvous with Tom. Dressed again in black, she crept downstairs to find the boys crowded around a piece of parchment. Lily chuckled to herself, and once again, edged her way around the Common Room. The guys were completely oblivious to the fact that there was another person in the room. She opened the portrait and climbed out. She managed to avoid Filch, Mrs. Norris, the ghost, and teachers, and slip outside without a sound.

"Tom." Lily whispered.

"Lily?"

"Yeah, what's wrong?" Lily asked, sensing that something was wrong.

"Nothing, nothing at all." he said quickly, 'This girl is smart, she can almost sense emotions.' he thought.

"Alright, keep your secrets." Lily said smiling.

"I believe I will, anyways, more important matter is here. I know the incantation you need." He said.

"Really?" she exclaimed.

"Yeah, here it is," he handed her a bit of parchment, "along with a few requirements, such as waving your wand and the follow up spell."

"Follow up spell?"

"Yeah, after you perform the first complex spell, you only need to perform a simple one to change back. The first is like a…test. Don't worry, you can do it." he assured Lily.

"Ok, do you want me to do it now?" she asked.

"Yes, so if something goes wrong, I can help."

"Ok." Lily said sitting on a rock to examine the paper.

After twenty minutes, Lily stood up, "Ok, I can do this." Pulling her wand out of her pocket, she waved it in a particular manner while saying "Transformo Humitis Malinirma." An emerald light shot out of her wand and surrounded her lifting her off the ground. Slowly, her features shrunk and swelled. As the jade light gradually faded, Lily was replaced with a magnificent gold and scarlet phoenix, which flew around Tom three times before settling down on his shoulder.

"Well, Lily, you certainly are a bright girl." He said stroking her feathers.

She let out a quivering note into the silence before changing back into Lily.

"Wow!" was all she said.

"Lily, I believe you are going to be a great witch." Tom said smiling at her.

"Thank you, Tom." She said. She noticed that Tom was even paler than last time, and that his eyes were more blood-shot. He even seemed taller.

"I guess I'll be seeing you sometime, Tom." Lily said, grabbing her cloak

Lily left Tom feeling happier and better than he had felt in a long while, "I've got to get that girl to join me." He muttered as he watched her run back to the castle.