Chapter 2:
Full Moon
After a week with the Marauders and Lily, Hermione saw exactly where Harry's traits came from. He was kind, caring, and compassionate from Lily, as well as his anger and sorrow. From James, he received his determination and Quidditch skills. He had his appetite from James and Sirius, lack of caring for rules and need for mischievous manner from James, Sirius, and Remus, and his intelligence from all four of them. It made Harry, Harry, and very unique. This also made Hermione wonder what these people (especially Lily and James) would think of Harry, if they'd seen him grow up and now in his sixteenth year.
Hermione also saw how Harry reacted with these people when he was with him, the people he inherited his traits from. He was delighted to get to know his mother and father, as well as Sirius and Remus better. Peter still wasn't out of the Hospital Wing, but Hermione suspected this was a good thing, because Harry would have tried to do something drastic, which would put him right back in there.
"Uh guys—" Remus said at lunch, "I'm – er – going to be gone tonight, my mother isn't feeling good at all, she's very sick, and I've been given permission to see her tonight."
"Okay," Lily said. Harry looked at his two friends from the future, neither of them realizing Remus was lying. Harry knew that tonight was the full moon, and Remus would be going to the Shrieking Shack in Hogsmeade to transform into a werewolf. Harry hadn't told anyone, but he planned to be here on the full moon, because he had been working on his own animagi transformation, so he could go with James and Sirius that night. Nobody knew that he had been doing this.
That night, James and Sirius left about ten minutes after Remus. They claimed they were going to visit Peter in the Hospital Wing, but Harry knew better. He went up to bed, making up his own excuse he was tired, but only went to get his invisibility cloak and his Marauder's Map. He then followed the map to where James and Sirius were, transforming on the grounds. Just around the corner, Harry transformed as well. He turned into a chocolate brown elk. Not a stag like James, but an elk, to show they were the same, but still different. He followed them, then caught up to them. With their animal senses, they would tell he was animagi, then welcomes him to the group. They started to walk towards the Whomping Willow to get Remus.
Lily and Hermione went up to their dormitory soon after. While Hermione was brushing her teeth, Lily looked out the window. The full moon was beautiful, as always. Her eyes strayed towards the ground. There, she saw a stag, an elk, and a bear-like dog.
"Hermione! I'm going! I need to check something out on the grounds! I'll be back soon!" She called. She walked down to the Common Room, curious of what she was going to find. Lily was a little scared, but she just laughed her fears away, "Come on Lily, I need to find this. It'll be okay, what could hurt me?" And she kept walking along towards the forest.
James, Sirius, Remus, and Harry were exploring. They exited the forest, when Remus ran to the left. Harry could feel something was wrong, using his new animal instincts, and ran to catch up, motioning for James and Sirius to follow.
Harry was right; Remus was heading towards a human outline. James and Sirius obviously saw them as well. They tackled Remus, but were having problems. Harry ran ahead, and saw, to his horror, Lily. She screamed, and was white and frozen. She'd seen Remus heading towards her. Harry bent down for her to jump up onto his back, but she was too petrified. He pushed her out of the way with his head, and she ran up to the castle. Harry went back to help James and Sirius. Together, the three of them managed to get him back to the Shrieking Shack, through the passage under the Whomping Willow. The three animals, though full of cuts and bruises, trotted up to the castle, happy they had lots of fun that night. Around the corner, James and Sirius turned back. James said to Harry, "Now you know who we are, let us see you!" Harry turned back to a human, grinning.
"Harry! We never would have guessed!" Sirius said, clapping him on the back.
Harry asked, acting hesitant, but already knowing the answer, "That was great! But, was the werewolf Remus?"
Sirius' face turned to stone, James solemnly nodded.
The three boys walked back to the castle's doors in silence. Just outside the doors, Sirius asked, "How did you figure us out Harry?"
"Well, it's hard to explain, but let me put it this way, I just used logical reasoning," Harry lied.
"Whatever, let's go in, it's cold out here!" James said, pushing the matter aside.
"I forgot my cloak! You guys go on without me. I'll be up soon," Harry said, and went to get his things.
When Harry entered the Common Room, he wished he hadn't. Lily, still white, was glaring at him, as well as Hermione. James and Sirius looked scared, as they received Hermione and Lily's death stares too.
"Would you please explain why you three were out at three in the morning! And where's Remus?" Lily yelled at Harry, James, and Remus.
"And don't give us any of that crap about visiting Peter!" Hermione yelled, just as loudly, "Madam Pomfrey doesn't let anyone in after eight, and Harry positively hates him!"
"I know where they were, but not why Harry was with them," Ron said calmly.
"What?" Harry, James, and Sirius asked, while Lily and Hermione asked, "Where?"
"Look at the moon," Ron said simply.
Comprehension dawned on Hermione's face, while Lily looked even more confused, not to mention angrier, "I know it's full, I love the full moon, it's so beautiful. But Ron, you are sounding like the dang centaurs! And," She gasped, "Why are your robes ripped up and you're all bloody?"
Hermione leapt up. "Oh my god, Harry, are you all right? You didn't…he didn't…" She trailed off looking frightened, and tears falling down her face.
"No, he didn't, or Remus didn't," James said. He began to sound angry, "How did you figure it out, all of you? Did he tell you? If he did, I'll pound him so hard, he'll wish it was full moon, so he could escape me. He never told us, we had to figure it out on our own! The boldly traitor!"
"Whoa James!" Harry said, "Stop making up how you are going to murder Remus. He didn't tell us, he doesn't even know we know. Dumbledore told us, because we'd be here during full moon, so we'd be at the ready, and not go look for him."
"I see," Grumbled James, not fully believing him.
"Know what?" Lily yelled. She was angry for them not telling her something, yet talking about it right in front of them.
"I'm so sorry Lily, but we can't tell you. Only Remus has that right," Hermione said, "We'll talk to him tomorrow."
"SO, anyway, how did you do it Harry? Not to be rude, but you aren't the best at Transfiguration. And when did you do it? And how did you know it was us? An where to go?"
Sirius asked, sounding excited.
Ron was now excited. He had figured out what Harry was doing. He began his interrogation, "He didn't, did he? Are you really, Harry? What kind? Can you help me become one too?"
"What?" Screamed Lily. She was starting to become really ticked off about them keeping her in the dark.
Ron, Hermione (who had figured it out after the Transfiguration clue; after all, she is the smartest witch of the year), James, and Sirius all answered in unison, "An animagus."
Lily screamed, then fainted. James and Sirius lifted her up from the floor and laid her on the couch.
Harry began to answer all of Sirius' and Ron's questions, "I worked on it all summer. I used a potion, so I technically wasn't doing magic. Don't worry Sirius, I know I'm not the best at Transfiguration, and I'm not offended. I am an elk, and yes Ron, I'll help you become one, you too Hermione, if you want to," Now, Harry had to lie, "I saw you transform and curious, I followed you."
"What!" Screeched Lily. She woke up, and had obviously heard the last bit. "You two are unregistered animaguses too! Oh my god! I need to go to bed!"
"I'll come with you," Hermione said, and they left.
"We probably should head up too," James said, and the four remaining boys all went up to bed.
Just as Harry was about to close the curtains around his bed, James came up and sat beside him. "You are a terrible liar," He growled, "I don't know how you know about Remus, or me, or Sirius, but I will find our!"
Harry believed James. He knew about the Potter determination, he had heard about his father's from Sirius and Remus, as well as inheriting his own batch himself.
The next morning, James and Sirius pulled Remus away from the Gryffendor Table, as soon as they saw him when they entered the Great Hall the next morning. Harry, by instinct of course, followed them and took out an Extendible Ear, one of Fred and George's inventions. Using the Extendable Ear, he listened to the boys' conversation.
Sirius said, "Moony, somehow, Harry, Ron, and Hermione know about you and us. Harry was out there with us last night, as an animagus elk. When he came back, from the conversation we had, Lily's curious, and we think you need to tell her the truth. It's Lily, she won't turn away from you, she cares about everyone and everything too much. Even if she hates them."
"Yeah, I probably should. What did Harry, Ron, and Hermione say to already knowing about me?" Remus asked.
"They just said –" Sirius started, but was cut off by James.
:I don't trust them, especially Harry. It is just so…I don't know, creepy. I think we should be careful around them, and maybe hit the books," James said.
Sirius groaned, but Remus said, "Yeah, it is a bit strange, we have to admit that. I'm with you James."
"Fine! I'll help!" Sirius said.
