Hey everyone! Okay so here is another chapter of Swapped... hope you like it! Please Review!
Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot.
Chapter Six
A Tricky Transfiguration
"I don't seem to see the problem." Dumbledore said plainly.
"What don't you understand Headmaster?" Lily asked.
"Well why would James do anything?"
"What?" Sirius and Lily asked in unison.
"Well if you and James have swapped personalities in both realms then it seems that James has nothing to worry about because –
James cut him off and finished the old man's sentence, "because what else would I expect?"
"Exactly," Dumbledore said, "James thinks you are still going out with Mr. Black here, so apart from feeling a little disappointed at the fact that Lily still likes Sirius, I always had an inkling that you liked her over here, James, you won't do anything."
"I on the other hand have another thing coming," Sirius sighed.
"I see you have caught on Mr. Black. This is true. Ms. Evans here will probably, actually I'm most certain that she will come onto you, as you children put it these days." After hearing the Headmaster say this to them, the three students took a second to shudder at the thought of this subject going through the old man's mind. It just wasn't right. Dumbledore chuckled at this and continued, "You Mr. Black will be in quick a shock. Your best friend's girl is hitting on you, and you don't know what to do about it." Now it was just creepy.
Then Lily gasped, "What if he likes it?"
"Why wouldn't I? Sirius barked.
"Hey! Watch it, she's still my girlfriend!" James bellowed back.
"Yeah thanks to me!"
"What? I'm sorry, but you had nothing to do with me kissing Lily and asking her out!"
"Well I should co-co." Lily said as she sat back in her chair and crossed her arms.
"You wouldn't have been given a chance if I wouldn't have backed off!"
"Oh you would have backed off anyway Black! I don't care what you did or didn't do, I would never date you!"
"Oh yea? Well go back to your own realm and tell that to the Lily who is hitting on me!"
"Okay, okay, okay! The point is... what's going to happen when Pads does like Lily and they get together and then we go back and Lily likes me?"
"What makes you think I'll even like her?" Sirius said with his nose in the air.
"Okay, rewind to this morning in the Entrance Hall and you have your answer," Lily said.
"Well whether Sirius likes her here or not, I've heard you say, multiple times in our realm, that if she weren't so proud, and that she weren't promised to me, you would actually ask her out. So I know for a fact that you'll like her."
"Oh," was all Sirius could muster to say.
"Ugh. First of all, that is disgusting. Second of all, I'm not proud!" All three men scoffed at her, earning themselves a cold glare in return. "And third of all, I'm not promised to anyone! Even you James Potter!"
"You're with me now aren't you?" He asked with a smile.
"Yea..."
"So I win."
Lily realized there was no point in arguing with him. Promised or not, she was happy to be with James. "So what do we do? When we get back and Black sees me with you he won't like it."
"Yeah! I'll have you know that this morning was not especially fun for me!"
"Fun for you?" Lily bellowed, "You weren't the one kissing you!"
"I resent that!" Sirius yelled.
"Children, children, children, calm down. Nothing is going to happen until we can notify the ministry of this and get researchers on the case. I will get right on that and then I will tell the staff of what's happened, so they are in the know. Meanwhile you aren't going to do anything else now besides get to your next class."
The three students nodded and began to make their way to the door. Then Lily got a thought. What if they didn't have the same schedules? That could turn out really bad if they walked into Slughorn's class while he was teaching third years.
"Wait!" She said causing the boys to stop and turn around so they could see what the matter was. Lily was already walking back to where the Headmaster sat contently with his hands folded on the desk and a smile on his face. "Headmaster? I can't help but wonder if our schedules have changed."
Then it dawned on James that she was right. "Good call Lils. Do we still have potions first Headmaster?"
Sirius came out of nowhere and in between his laughter he let out a, "No!"
Dumbledore chuckled and said, "Yes that would be highly amusing if you walked in on Professor Slughorn's first year class. I'm afraid Mr. Potter would take one look at it and laugh himself back to your own realm."
Lily and James looked at each other in confusion. Then James realized that he must be the smart one in this realm. 'After all it would make sense seeming as every other bleeding detail has swapped on us,' he thought.
"Why would you say that Headmaster?" Lily asked.
"Why, because he's on his way to becoming the wizarding world's next potion's master." He smiled at the two students in front of him, who just looked at each other and burst out into laughter.
"Me? A Potions Master?"
Lily joined him in laughter, "in his dreams!"
"Hey! I'm okay at potions!" He retorted, "just because ol' Slughorn loves you!"
"Professor, James." The headmaster said with an eye of responsibility.
Lily ignored the professor, and said, "and just because everyone else loves you!" The two were directly facing each other, yelling back and forth as if no one else was in the room.
Sirius leaned into Dumbledore and whispered, "it's sweet really. They've only been together for about an hour and they're already fighting like an old married couple."
"WE ARE NOT!" They yelled and then went straight back to bickering with each other.
Sirius cocked his head to one side and sighed as he said, "bless em, don't you just love young love?"
"Mmm. That I do Mr. Black." Dumbledore said with that infamous twinkle in his eye. "Um... excuse me you two. As much as I would love to watch young love blossom before my very eyes, you really should get to class." He waved his hand over his desk and two parchment rolls tied in gold ribbons appeared before their eyes. "Now, you two take these, and the three of you hurry along. Professor McGonagall wouldn't like it if you were to show up late."
James and Lily took their new schedules and the three of them rushed out of the office screaming, "Thank you!"
The three entered the fourth floor corridor and Lily let out a loud sigh.
"What's wrong now?" James asked slightly annoyed.
"Oh nothing," she said overdramatically.
"Thank god for that."
"It's just that –
"See! I knew it was too good to be true! They always say it's nothing and then! Then they hit you with the 'it's just that' business... and then... well then it's downhill from there on out!"
"Well you asked!" Lily snapped.
"Fine, fine, fine, what's wrong petal?"
"I don't know it's just this is all so frustrating! I mean last night I went to bed after a very hectic and confusing night, and then I wake up in a room that isn't mine, only it is, then I get kissed by a boyfriend who isn't mine, only to find out he is, well not anymore, and now on top of that, I have to set up a whole new study chart. What with this new schedule, I can't possibly keep the old one. I don't know when I'm going to have the time to do that. I've got so much on my plate now, and I don't have the time!" Now she was beginning to sob.
James and Sirius went to either side of the broad to comfort her. "Now, now Lily, cheer up. You'll figure this out, you always do! We'll help you! You're going to be just fine, I promise." James placed a light kiss on Lily's temple, and Sirius realized they were meant to be together, there was no use fighting it anymore, this was all true, and until it was solve he would have to do without his Lily.
Lily sniffed and said, "I just don't understand why it always has to be me. Why is it I'm the one who always gets teased, why do I have to be the muggleborn, and the bookworm, and why of all things do I have to be the one to switch realms?"
James shhed his girlfriend, "calm down Lils. Have you ever thought that the reason why I picked on you all these years was because I didn't know how to talk to you properly? I, James Channing Potter couldn't talk to a girl." Lily let out a small laugh between all her sniffles. "That's right, and did you ever think that those two details that you think of so heartlessly made me like you even more?" Lily blushed. "And... have you ever taken the time to think about the fact that I'm stuck here too?"
"Oh James, I'm sorry! I've never looked at it like that. Thank you!" She gave him a quick kiss on his lips.
"You're welcome. Oh and if you ever mention that bit about talking to girls... well then we're over." He smiled. "That means you too Black!"
Lily looked about her and saw that Sirius had vanished. "Where is he?"
"Hold on. I know where he is." James walked over to a portrait that was occupied with none other than Godric Gryffindor. "Hello Godric. How are you on this fine day?"
"Very well my boy. I assume you are looking for a certain someone."
"No, I've found her. I'm just looking for Sirius," he smiled, causing the man clad in red and gold to chuckle, as well as Lily who was now standing behind James.
"I take it you know where he is then?"
"Oh that I do," James said with one of his Marauder smirks, "do you mind?"
"Oh not at all! You take your time, I'll help." James went into his pocket and pulled out his wand, then Lily grabbed his arm causing him to turn around and look into the eyes of a very confused redhead.
"James, what's going on?"
He took her hand in his, and said, "hold on tight."
"No James, don't, please don't , aaaaah!"
As if she were being sucked in body part by body part, Lily was pulled into the portrait alongside James.
"Lily! Stop screaming! Somebody will notice us." James whispered harshly, as Lily stopped. "Now... open you're eyes." Lily obeyed him as if she were under the imperious curse and opened here eyes to find herself staring at a plain red wall. "Now turn around." She slowly pivoted and almost passed out at the sight before her. Thankfully James covered her mouth with his hand before she could yell anymore. "Wait, come over here first. They can't hear what they can't see."
Lily followed orders and calmly walked to the side with James before letting go of her steam. "James bloody Potter! What the bloody hell is going on? I'm already in a different realm, I don't need to be stuck in a sodding painting as well! Now get out mmmmmm!' James couldn't take it anymore. He had his hand over her still yelling mouth again, that is until she bit him.
"OW!"
"Sorry, it's just that I don't really need another problem on my hands at the moment."
"Oh, so now I'm a problem?"
"You know what I meant. You are not part of my problems, and you know that."
He smiled, "Well fortunately this won't be a problem. I've done this so many times. There is no way we can get stuck. Only people who were painted into the portraits are stuck."
"I see." Lily looked around the room. It was far from plain, save for the one wall. The rest was fully decorated in the complete read and gold theme. Then she noticed something. Something she saw before, however last time she saw it, she was in too much shock to take it in. It was a portrait, but not just a simple portrait, it was a portrait of their world.
Lily looked back at James, and he knew what she was asking him. "Just be careful. I don't want anyone know about this place." Lily stepped over and looked out upon their world. It was amazing, so much was going on that usually nobody would notice. A young Slytherin boy carving something into the wall with his wand while a smiling Slytherin girl stood next to him, Peeves emptying a first year's pockets by shaking him upside down, Snape and Malfoy hitting on two girls who looked disgusted, to James and Lily's amusement, three Hufflepuff girls running down the hallway giggling not to mention the rest took Lily by surprise. Then she realized Godric was missing.
"Uh James? Where'd he go?"
"Who?"
"Well Sirius, but Godric Gryffindor is gone as well."
"Oh well, he's probably gone to another portrait, you know while we look for Pads either that or he's gone to look for - wait a minute. Ha! He thinks he's so smart!" James said as he looked away from Lily's eyes and over her shoulder.
"What? Where is he?" Lily asked as she turned to see where James was looking.
"Come with me." He grabbed her hand and took her to the wall that used to appear empty and plain. On the wall was a portrait of a boy clad in clothing of a high royal class; red and gold of course. The majority of his body was turned as he seemed to be looking at a far away castle.
The boy looked to be standing perfectly still that is until Lily spoke, "James, it's just a portrait, it's not even moving. Come on, we're going to be late." As she was about to drag him away, she heard a snort. Quickly turning to face James, she asked, "That was you right?" James just smirked as he shook his head no, and pointed towards the portrait. Lily looked up and saw that the once motionless boy was now shaking with laughter. Then she realized that the royal boy was in fact the royal pain the arse, Sirius Black. "SIRIUS BLACK! GET YOUR ARSE OUR HERE RIGHT NOW!"
The boy, Sirius Black, turned around and laughed, "what if I don't want to?"
"Well then," she said as she dropped her bag and took out her wand, "I'll just have to come and get you myself then."
James grabbed her arm before she could do anything. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! You don't want to do that. The spell could go terribly wrong. Believe me, you don't want to do it. I don't want you to do it! And besides even if you did get the spell right, I'm pretty sure Pads would then agree with me that he wouldn't want you to do it, because he would very surely lose the fight."
"I would not!"
Ignoring Sirius, James said, "Point is Lils, we really don't have time for you to have a go at Pads again. So can we all just please get out of here before McGonagall kills us." Both Sirius and Lily nodded the former appeared inside the red and gold room in mere seconds.
'Note to self,' Lily thought, 'read up on portrait jumping.' The three of them jumped back to their world. Lily straightened her robes and noticed the students walking into their classes. "Guys look! The bell must have gone, we need to hurry, she's going to flip her lid!"
"Well that seems a bit harsh don't you think Miss. Evans?" A strong Scottish voice came from behind. Lily knew exactly who it was and winced at the idea of getting in trouble on her first day in a new realm. "Now let me think, I might flip my lid, as you so gracefully put it, if you don't get to my class within the next three seconds... now go!" Without turning around once the three students rushed into their Transfiguration class. McGonagall following the three clapped her hands to gain the students attention. Everyone fell into a seat and the class begun. "Now I know that a lot of you have been awaiting this day for many months, so let us not waste any more time."
Lily sat there with her hands in her head and a frown on her face. James saw this and slyly passed her a note. She opened it up to read, "are you okay?"
She nodded in reply, and whispered, "I just hate this class... I'm no good at it."
"Nonsense," he whispered back, "you're good at everything."
"Not everything. I couldn't do this class even if my life depended on it."
"Well watch and learn pretty lady." He said with his trademark smirk, earning a scoff in return.
"Mr. Potter... as you seem to be so keen to share with Miss Evans your talent for Transfiguration, I trust you will be able to go first. Do you have your permission slip?"
James smiled until he heard the last part of what she said, "um... permission slip?"
"Yes Mr. Potter, to become an Animagus! Now for gods sake pay attention. You of all people should be, god knows your grade could use it!" Stifled laughter filled the classroom.
This confused James to the utmost. "What? I have the highest grade in the class!" More laughter came as well as an incredulous smile from the professor.
"Mr. Potter to put it bluntly, and I don't mean this disrespectfully towards you fellow classmate, but Mr. Pettigrew has an easier time passing this class than you do." This time horrendous laughter filled the classroom. "Ms. Evans on the other hand is quite the opposite, isn't that right dear?" James and Lily looked at each other, and then they both realized what the other hadn't, the realm switch had botched this one up too. "Now class, I will ask one more time, those of you who are choosing to register as an animagus, will please get out their permission forms... remember this counts as extra points towards your exams, so I would expect those of you with lower grades to at least try. Whether or not you succeed is a different story. You have fifteen seconds to do so."
This was the day James had been waiting for. He could finally become a registered animagus, even though he already was one, at least now he could be legal. He opened his satchel to pull out his permission slip but began to panic when he couldn't find one. "Lily!" He whispered in panic. "Lily I don't have one! Quick give me yours!"
"What?"
"Your bound to have one, now give it to me!"
Lily soon found that she did have a permission slip and James quickly transformed it into his own with his parent's signatures on it. Professor McGonagall then came around the room to collect the students', who were participating, permission slips. She stopped when she came to Lily and James' row. "Ms. Evans what's this? Where's your slip? You of all people should have one, I've heard you go on about this for weeks now!"
"Um, I'm sorry Professor I seemed to have left it in my dormitory," she lied.
The professor looked at her skeptically, "hmm... well I expect you of all people to be more responsible, but seeming as you excel with greatness in my class and have not failed once to bring homework, and your test scores have been through the roof, I suppose I can allow you a retake... come her at eight o'clock sharp and you can take your test then." The whole time she flailed over Lily's good qualities Sirius and James heartlessly mimicked her, causing girls around them to giggle.
Lily swallowed hard as she nodded. "Yes Professor, sorry, it won't happen again."
"See that it doesn't." She then moved on to James' seat. "Well it seems that you do pay attention Mr. Potter. You will go first as you seem to be so sure of yourself today."
"You won't regret it Professor. I'll have my form down in three seconds flat!" He said with pride.
"Humph! I'd be happy if you could get your form down in three days! Now go to the front of the classroom while I fetch the rest of the slips." After grabbing the rest of the student's permission slips she waltzed to the front of the classroom. "Now each of you will have ten seconds to change to your animagus form. If you are successful you will sign the register and receive you certificate of authenticity that I will sign, saying that you are legally allowed to transform into an animagus. However if you are unsuccessful, the next time you will be eligible to test is in five days time."
"Why can't we come at eight when Evans does?" Malfoy screamed across the room.
"When you get as high scores as she does Mr. Malfoy we will debate that issue, until then I propose you keep your yap shut while I test Mr. Potter here." The class oohed as Malfoy sunk into his seat. "Now Mr. Potter let's see that three seconds flat."
"You won't be disappointed Professor."
"We'll see." She said as she pulled out her timer. "Ready... go."
James closed his eyes as he tapped his wand on his head. One second. A small whisp of silver string traipsed around his body. Two seconds. Soon the boy's body was gone, and a massive stag appeared in front of the class. Three seconds.
The class, including Malfoy and McGonagall, gasped in amazement. Never had they seen such a performance. "Well Mr. Potter! I'm shocked! I've never seen such a beautiful transformation in all my years of teaching! 30 points will be awarded to your end of year exam, and you may sign the register." The professor was beaming, her worst student was now a prodigy, well at least in the case of animagi. Most of the class passed and only few had to sign up for the retake. The bell rang minutes after the last test, and the class began to file out of the classroom. "Oh Miss Evans, please don't forget again. I will see you at eight sharp... be ready."
Swallowing hard again, Lily forced a smile as she said, "don't worry Professor, I won't let you down again." She then rushed out of the classroom to catch up with James, who was in fact waiting for her outside the door. "Oh James you scared me."
"Sorry."
"It's okay, I'm just a bit flustered really, what am I going to do? I don't want to be an animagus! I don't have the foggiest idea how to become one, and now I have to learn by eight o'clock tonight? I've had no practice, I bet you've been practicing for months!"
"Years actually, but that's a different story. Now about you. Don't worry I will help you."
"James don't be silly we have classes."
"Only two more, and their halfies. I checked the schedule. Slughorn's class is cut to half on Thursdays instead of Wednesdays and so is Binns'. So no worries, I'll even skip lunch to help you. Lily Evans by tonight you will be better than me in transfiguration, well maybe not, but you'll be damn close to it!"
"Oh thank you James! You really aren't as bad as you seem!" She said with a smirk as she kissed his cheek and ran ahead before he could figure out what she had just said.
"Why thank you... wait a tic... what's that supposed to mean?"
Okay... how'd you like it? Sorry I've not kept my promise and I haven't written in a while, but I'm a Rockette and I've had band camp. I didn't know it would wipe me out of time and energy like it has. Well I'm going away for two weeks tomorrow so I won't be able to update... however I will be able to write my chapters out for my stories, so when I get back it is just a matter of typing and updating... so look forward to then. In the mean time... please review! I will be able to check e-mails... I just won't have time to type everything out and update... soooo... REVIEW! Kisses! Dominique (Hpobessor)