"Remus, I have a very difficult task for you to take on," gravely announced Dumbeldore.
"Yes?" asked Remus reading the severity of this task in Dumbeldore's blue eyes which did not characteristically twinkle at the moment.
"I believe you are aware of the ancient magic know as the Vicissitudo."
"The spell that causes people to switch bodies?" asked Remus.
"The very same," replied Albus Dumbeldore.
"What about it?" asked Remus.
"I would like to cast the Vicissitudo on you and James," calmly answered Dumbeldore penetrating Remus with his eyes almost as if reading him.
"You want me to switch bodies with James?"
"Yes, I am sure you are aware of the emanate danger young Harry is in as I am sure James had told you."
"Very much aware, but why this? Why the Vicissitudo?"
"It is the best way to protect Harry, and my wife," came an exasperated tone from the back of the room.
Remus turned to see an exhausted looking James standing at the door. He looked beat down and worn out, almost as if he himself was recovering from the moon.
Remus closed his eyes and let out a weary sigh. He had already done so much for the Order, and now he was asked to do this.
"Please Mooney," pleaded James, his hazel eyes desperate, "You are the most advanced person when it comes to defence that could pull off being me."
"Of course it is entirely up to you," assured Dumbeldore. "No one is forcing you."
"I understand that Albus," sighed Remus, "If you wouldn't mind giving me a minute to think."
"Of course," consented Dumbeldore as James began to open his mouth in protest. Yet when Dumbeldore spoke Jamed ceased from saying anything and closed his mouth following Dumbeldore out of the room.
"After all Sirius, Peter and I have done for him, the leas he could do id this," mumbled James as he and Dumbeldore stepped out of the room.
"Keeping a comrades secrets is one thing this is entirely another," pointed out Dumbeldore in his ever calm nature.
"If only he knew," thought James to himself as the two waited in silence for Remus to make his decision.
Meanwhile Remus sat in the room alone thinking over all the possibilities and complications going through the Vicissitudo would cause. It was true he practically owed James, Sirius, and Peter his life for what they did for him. Yet agreeing to the Visiccitudo would be noting in comparison. There were greater risks involved. The change could wind up permanent was Remus first thought followed by doubts about James' ability to handle his curse.
James paced in front of the door instead of taking a seat in the chair that Dumbeldore conjured up for him. Dumbeldore sat in another soft chair with his elbows resting on the arms and his fingers resting upon each other.
Dumbeldore was a patient man much more patient than James ever was. Just as James was about to pass by the door for the fifteenth time it opened.
"You made a decision?" demanded James wide eyed like a deer.
"Yes I have," sighed Remus obviously heavy of heart.
"I suggest we all head back into the room, before we discuss matters any further," recommended Dumbeldore vanishing the two chairs he had conjured up.
Remus and James followed Dumbeldore back into the room where the whole meeting had started.
"As you were saying Remus," gestured Dumbeldore, "You have come to a decision about the Vicissitudo."
"I have," nodded Remus, "I've decided that my agreeing to the Vicissitudo is in the best interest of all."
"Mooney, you're a lifesaver in more ways than one," smiled James in relief as he clapped Remus on the back.
"Before we make the change you need to be fully aware of my furry little problem as Padfood so affectionately calls it," warned Remus in a very solemn voice.
"That's right, it was about a week ago."
"Yes and the wolf is still quite strong. You need to be prepared to fight it. I presume Dumbeldore has informed you of my role in working for the Order?"
"That I have," interjected Dumbeldore. "I hate to rush things, but time indeed does run short."
"Yes of course," agreed Remus.
"I will do the honor of performing the spell," directed Dummbeldore, "Now if you two would be so kind as to stand five paces apart."
Both men complied. Dumbeldore then raised his wand and spoke the words, "Visiccimens Fabricorp." It was one of the few spells that had two parts and could not be cast non-verbally.
As James stood there waiting for the spell to take effect, he stared at Remus blinking ever so often. As he blinked James though he saw for a split second things from Remus' perspective. Then it happened, suddenly like a rush of wind James felt like he was being blown around the room. Everything was a blur; James could focus on anything all he could do was make out shapes and colors. He could make out a purple blur and knew that it was Dumbeldore and things went black. James was still very much conscious, it is jut his eyes were closed. Yet this wasn't at the focus of his attention, he could smell men and it caused a peculiar rage inside him. It was as if there was an internal growling, a need to rip, shred, and maim.
After spinning around the room Remus came to a jolting halt, he felt as if he was going to loose he balance, yet his feet were firmly planted on the ground. Remus immediately whipped his eyes open to see he was no longer in his own body. Instead of Dumbeldore being on his right, he was now on his left. In James' body he felt wonderful. There was no longer this weight on his shoulders, every muscle did not ace, true his senses weren't as strong but to be free of his burden was liberating, exhilarating in fact.
Remus looked over at Dumbeldore with a smile. Yet he was not met with Dumbeldore's twinkling eyes. Remus turned to see Dumbeldore watching James with a solemn expression"
Remus glanced over at James who was not in his body, which stood rigid. Remus could see it in the face. James was now raging his battle. James's face was twitching and contouring into the most unnatural of shapes.
James could feel his body go rigid, as the internal battle raged on. He could hear his 'voice' say, "I should have insisted on waiting a day or two."
Hearing that, woke something up inside James, something to help him combat the urges of the wolf inside. Soon they subsided and James opened his eyes.
"See Mooney there was nothing to worry about," assured James hearing Remus' hoarse voice instead of his own.
Remus turned hid head from Dumbeldore to James in a flash.
"You over came it?"
"I think so" answered James sensing another urge to bit and destroy.
"It seems the spell has worked," smiled Dumbeldore looking from one to the other. "Please allow me to stress to the both of you the seriousness of this switch. You are to tell no one under any circumstances about what happened here this evening. The three of us plus Lilly are the only ones aware of this switch. You must each peruse the lives of the other. When the time should prove pertinate I will contact each of you by owl. Now James, I suggest you leave before any of the Order arrives. You are thought by many to be a traitor at this point."
James wearily nodded feeling the pain that Remus must feel on a regular biases.
"Remember the next moon is on the 11th," mentioned Remus before James apparated away.
With in moments of James' dissaparation, the first of the Order arrived.
"James, Albus, didn't expect to see you bother here so early," remarked Moody staring each down with his good eye as he roved the rest of the place with his magical one.
"James and I were discussing security measures for he and his family," explained Dumbeldore.
"Good!" gruffly answered Moody nodding his head, "Can never be too careful, what with the current state of things."
"I couldn't agree more," smiled Dumbeldore his eyes giving off they're usual twinkle.