CHAPTER TWELVE

"A word of caution for the future, Pettigrew," McGonagall was saying exasperatedly as Peter scrambled to sop up his most recent mess in Transfiguration class one day, "make absolutely certain that there's no one in the surrounding fifty feet that may feel the effects of one of your defective spells." She was already unhappy with the Gryffindors because of some trouble James and Sirius had caused earlier in the day with some unsuspecting First Years. "Ten points from Gryffindor, and please, let that be the last time I have to say that today at least!" she added with a significantly angry look at James and Sirius, who in turn looked neither scorned nor shamed. In their minds, of course, the First Years had had it coming. In any case, they and Remus stayed behind after class to help Peter clean up.

Peter thanked them several times on their way to the Great Hall for lunch.

"No problem, Petey," James said easily. "Let's just hope that doesn't happen tonight when we…do the thing." He said, catching himself and lowering his voice as a group of Third Year Hufflepuffs walked past them. Peter looked downcast and a little frightened at the idea of becoming Animagi in a few hours, which the other boys noticed.

"Don't worry about what happened back in class today, Pete, you're just nervous," said Sirius, ruffling up Peter's hair paternally. "Besides, me and James and Remus'll be there to help you. It'll be fine."

"I won't," Remus said with a sigh. "Full moon tonight, remember?"

"Oh yeah…"

The four of them had reached the Great Hall, taking their usual seats at the very end of the Gryffindor table, furthest from the teachers. Peter, James and Sirius all discussed their plans for that evening, while Remus's thoughts wandered off to where he was going to have to go that night… he wondered if he should leave now and head for the hospital wing or just suck it up for the rest of the school day and go after dinner. Just as the idea occurred to him and his mind began to battle between thoughts, he felt something land on his shoulder. Startled, he looked over and saw Raven squeeze into an empty bench space next to him, her hand on his shoulder for balance.

"Hey," she said, smiling kindly at him. "What's up? You look dreadful, if you'll pardon my saying so," the cute smile still on her mouth.

Remus took a second to register the words and figure out an answer, his heart pounding and color rising in his face. "Oh… no… yeah… I haven't been feeling so great…" he said so very lamely. He always said the wrong words when she was around him… it was easy for him to think up interesting things to say to Raven in his mind, but saying them to her in person was so difficult. She was sympathetic though.

"I'm sorry," she said with an expression that told him she meant it. He wondered if she would stay here with him, and was answered almost immediately when, after a pause, she reached out and pulled the mince pie dish toward her and slopped some onto the plate before her. She also laid a healthy amount onto Remus's plate.

"Eat up, you, you're too peaky," she said, forking bits of pie into her mouth. Remus did the same, glad that she cared anything about him. They talked throughout lunch, their conversation being occasionally punctured with comments from Sirius or James, but Remus, so content with the company, was able to push the coming of the full moon out of his mind.

After dinner, James, Sirius and Peter left for their dormitory while Remus broke off and went to find Madam Pomfrey.

Once in their dormitory, James made sure the door was locked, Sirius pulled the curtains over the window, and Peter stood in the middle of the room, utterly terrified.

"Alright, Peter," said James, very seriously. "I think me and Sirius should help you do yours first. Is that cool with you?" Peter inclined his head jerkily. "Alright then." James looked at Sirius, who nodded. "You remember the incantation? You have to concentrate very hard on becoming an animal, Peter, and only that. Don't be nervous or any of that… just concentrate as hard as you can, point your wand at yourself and say 'Animagus'. Think you're ready to give it a go?"

Peter took a great, deep, steadying breath before saying, "yes," and following James' steps. He lifted his wand, trembling, to his forehead, but after he said it, his hand twitched violently, and the spell shot off onto Sirius's nightstand behind him. His face screwed up and pinched with fear of pain, James and Sirius looked at each other and Sirius said, "mate, open your eyes. Spell missed you by about three inches that way," he pointed, laughing. Peter tried again after several more steadying gulps of air, and to their surprise, after he saying "Animagus!" It seemed for a split second that Peter had vanished. Panicking, Sirius and James dropped to the floor, rummaging in Peter's fallen clothes that were the only remnants of his presence, until James let out a yell of triumph when the head of a pudgy brown rat poked out of the neckhole of Peter's abandoned tee-shirt.

"Peter is that you?" Sirius said lifting the rat to eye level. "Change back now so we can be sure." He lowered the rat back onto the pile of clothes, and before their eyes, Peter materialized into the room and into his clothes once more. James and Sirius stood up and stepped back as Peter promptly dropped to his hands and knees, panting with victory and relief, saying, "I did it! Sirius! James! I did it! Oh my God!"

Sirius and James helped him to his feet and over to his bed where he could sit and recuperate while the other two completed the same task, enjoying immensely the outcome of James' – seeing a young stag form from a human body and tear up James' clothes that clearly weren't deer-sized, and Sirius' turning into a large black dog.

After each of them had practiced changing into and out of their respective animal forms, the three boys sat around Peter's bed marveling at the great feat they'd accomplished.

"So… this took us how many moths to figure out?" Sirius mused, laying back, hands behind his head.

"Way too long, mate," replied James mildly. "Oh well. At least it's done now, and we can – oh man!" he exclaimed jumping up suddenly, and pushing his feet into his shoes hurriedly.

"What's up with you?" Sirius said, startled, getting up as well.

"We've forgotten – Remus – " James said, distractedly rummaging around in his trunk for his invisibility cloak. Peter and Sirius, realizing, jumped up as well and joined James under the invisibility cloak and the three of them left for the forbidden forest.