Chapter 4: Plans and Transformations

"How could this have happened?" Minerva's face appeared as frail and crumpled as age-old parchment. Now that the initial shock had worn off, so had her severity. Now, she looked careworn and worried, "Remus was supposed to stay out of trouble. He's all Harry has left." Minerva whispered.

Now Tonks felt the tears being released, the cool salty liquid coursing down her face, shoulders heaving as she fought for breath. Gently, Harry eased her out of the fire place, taking her place in the conversation.

"Professor," he said grimly, "I think I have an idea."

The trio spent the following months searching for the right werewolf colony, Tonks and Harry taking turns to enter within each and find out, as subtly as possible, whether or not it was Fenrir's pack.

Finally, the day came.

"Professor!" Harry's voice sounded excitedly from Minerva's fireplace.

"Harry?" His obvious cheer confused her, he had been quiet and withdrawn ever since Remus had gone missing.

"We found it! We found Fenrir's pack: Itzal!"

And so, the plotting began.

I laid there for what seemed like forever, carefully controlling my breathing and waiting. I didn't know what I was waiting for. All I knew was that I wanted it to go away; all of it. The pain, the torture, everything. My muscles tensed instinctively at the sound of a twig snapping.

After a pause, a stag, beautiful and graceful, came out into the clearing. It stared at me for a while, its eyes a deep, almost black brown. Then, coming closer, it bowed its head down to me, nudging my face softly.

"Prongs?"

The three of them where gathered around the kitchen of Grimmauld Place. Minerva was staring at Harry, her gaze eerily steady. Tonks watched as Harry gazed back, not demanding or challenging, just acknowledging the eye contact.

Minerva broke the link first, sweeping her gaze over both of them, finally speaking, "Harry, you need to be an animal."

Harry looked up, startled; "Becoming an animagus takes... years. Remus doesn't have that long!"

Minerva seemed unperturbed, "Your father was an animagus, it runs in your blood. It'll be easy for you, and if you don't get it, we'll just transfigure you." Harry looked unconvinced, but neither was his expression defiant.

"Ok, but we have to hurry."

I groaned as the stag nudged me harder, obviously trying to get me onto his back. Of course, the antlers got in the way. I half smiled, half grimaced as I remembered how James used to complain about the added weight of antlers all the time: "It's like I have a bloody tree growing from my head!"

Summoning all the strength I had left, I reached my arm up, the stag lowering its body. Somehow I managed to pull my arm over his neck and hoist up the rest of my body. I relaxed into my familiar position, the amount of times I had been carried back to the shack after transformation was countless. It just didn't make sense. Prongs?

That was my last thought before the jarring pain of the stag jumping into a hard gallop knocked me out, a small gasp forced passed my lips.

Harry couldn't believe that it had taken him only two days to become an animagus. By the third day, he could already run in his new form. Just in time. That night was full moon.

He was proud, though admittedly only slightly surprised that he was a stag. He wondered if his father had also marveled at the unaccustomed weight on his head, or about the fact that even though it hadn't occurred to him before, four legs just wasn't his thing.

But Remus had to be saved. And so, Harry found himself streaking through a random countryside as fast as he could, but still determined to pace himself. Frustrated, Harry couldn't help but think desperately that he wasn't going fast enough. It was already morning by the time he reached the edge of the forest Fenrir had made his home.

With a lurch, Harry realized that he had no idea where in the forest Remus would be. Although he knew where the actual village was, after a full moon, Remus might be anywhere else. Harry stood still at the sudden sound of laughter. Flicking his ears, he gained from the dwindling of the sound that the source was walking away from him slowly. Much like a group of people leaving a party. Harry followed the voices, staying as quiet as he could. Of all the times to be an animal with hooves.

Harry stopped, heart pumping furiously. He had almost walked right into a clearing; into the open without checking if anyone was there to see. Looking around, he saw no one. He stepped forward. A twig snapped under him and he stopped. Just then, he saw movement coming from the clearing. It was then that he noticed the bleeding figure lying in the grass. Cautiously, he walked over to it.

His mind reeled when he finally recognized the face. It was Remus. He didn't break pace, forcibly remaining calm. Sympathy making him feel like his very being was on fire, Harry nudged Remus, feeling like he would cry. Feebly, he wondered if deer could cry.

Remus groaned, but Harry simply nudged him again, more urgently this time. Finally Remus got on his back. Harry broke into a gallop, feeling the thing he had been dreading all day, the prickling of someone watching them.

Tonks sat in the kitchen drinking tea with Minerva, watching the clock. So far, they had been up all night and Tonks planned to keep it that way, at least where she was concerned. There would be no sleeping on her part until Remus was back in his own bed ready to heal.