A/N: I do not own anything Harry Potter. Sorry for the bit of a wait on this one, I've been kind of busy. But the time has finally come for Annie's first Animagus lesson. Hope you enjoy and happy reading! XO

Chapter 31

Sirius jumped up onto the counter in the kitchen of Black Barn and started to read a letter he had received earlier that evening to Lydia.

Dear Mr. Black,

I am writing to inform you that Annie has received detention with me for dyeing the second year boys' hair and faces various colors and placing itching powder in their clothing. She, and Fred Weasley, George Weasley, and Lee Jordan will all be serving detention with me this Saturday evening.

I am also writing to you on a happier note. Annie will be starting her animagus training with me next Monday. I believe she has so much potential in this area of Transfiguration. I'm sure you (and Marissa if she was still with us) are so proud.

Sincerely,

Professor McGonagall

Sirius smiled and placed the letter on the counter next to him.

"You must be proud, you're smiling like an idiot," Lydia said placinga pot on the stove and sent a couple knives to chop some vegetables.

"I am," he said picking up a piece of pepper and popping it in his mouth. "She dyed their hair and faces each a different color without them waking up. And the itching powder in the underpants, that's a classic." Sirius laughed and stole another pepper.

Lydia rolled her eyes and gave a small laugh. "I meant you must be proud of her animagus training." She walked over to Sirius and slipped her arms around his waist.

"Oh yeah, that too," he said giving her a kiss. They stayed like that for several minutes until the doorbell rang. They laughed as they broke apart and Lydia went back to making dinner as Sirius grabbed the letter and jumped off the counter to answer the door. He opened the door and Lily, James and Remus came spilling into the house.

"Hey James," Sirius said holding out the letter to his best friend, "read what Annie did to get detention."

James took the letter and he and Remus read it silently together.

"Hmm," Remus said as James handed the letter back, "her pranks seem to lack when she's drunk don't they?"

"What?" Lily ripped the letter from Sirius's hands and read it through herself. "It doesn't say anything about Annie being drunk." Lily looked up and around at James, Remus and finally Sirius who were all looking in different directions. "You know she drinks and you do nothing about it?" She smacked Sirius on the arm with every syllable.

"Ow!" he yelled and Lydia came running in from the kitchen clutching a bowl in her arms.

"What's going on?" she asked looking around at them all. "Oh, hi Lily. What has Sirius done this time?"

"Did you know that Annie drinks?" Lily said looking outraged.

"Well, yeah," Lydia said gesturing for them all to follow her back into the kitchen. "Sirius wrote to her the day after the First Task and told her to watch herself."

James, Remus and Lily sat down at the table as Sirius resumed his seat on the counter and continued to eat the freshly cut peppers out of a bowl with a slightly smug smile on his face. Lydia took the bowl out of his hands and added them to the steak frying in the pan and pecked him on the cheek.

"You wrote to her?" Lily asked looking over at Sirius.

"Yeah," he answered. "Remember when we all went over your house for dinner that night?" Lily nodded and he continued. "Well, Remus pulled me aside and told me that Annie was smashed when he met up with her. I wrote to her the next day and told her to take it easy on the Firewhiskey, just to be careful, you know?"

Lily stared at Sirius for a minute before shaking her head clear. "That actually sounded responsible. I'm impressed," she said.

Remus, James and Sirius laughed as Lydia set dishes down on the table.

"Yeah, well, it seems that you and Remus have finally rubbed off on me," Sirius said jumping off the counter and sitting next to James.

James clapped his friend on the back. "Not cool, mate, not cool," he said as Sirius ruffled James's hair. The others laughed and started to dig into the dinner that Lydia had made.

"Hey, babe, what time is it?" Annie asked. She was sitting on the floor leaning against George's chair working on her History of Magic essay as he played with her hair.

George looked at his watch. "It's five of eight," he said. "What time did you have to go down to Professor McGonagall's office again?"

"Shit," she said stuffing her essay into her bag and standing up. "I have to be there in five minutes."

As she ran for the portrait hole, George stood up and yelled after her, "Good luck, babe!"

Annie flew down the stairs and skidded to a halt outside her professor's office. She knocked on the door and Professor McGonagall told her to come in.

"You're late," she said as Annie walked in and sat in the chair in front of the desk.

"I know. I'm sorry. I was doing some homework and I lost track of time," Annie said regaining her breath.

Professor McGonagall gave her a curt nod. "I understand. Just try to be on time next week, please." She stood up from her desk and took a book off of the shelf and placed it on her desk. "Ms. Black, can you tell me anything that you know about Animagi?"

Annie thought back to all the questions she and Harry used to ask James about Animagi. "Well, I know there's a register and that you're on it," she said.

"Yes, and I understand that your father and Mr. Potter are finally on it as well," Professor McGonagall said as she scanned her bookshelf for more books.

"Yeah," Annie answered. "And Animagi are sort of like an animal representation of your personality and inner traits, right?"

"Precisely," said the professor finally sitting down at her desk and pushing the small pile of books to the side. "Now, can you tell me how you determine your Animagus form?"

Annie shook her head. "No. That's one question I never thought to ask Uncle James."

"Well," Professor McGonagall said taking one of the books off the stack and handing it over to Annie, "the answer to that lies within a potion which you will brew with my assistance when you have finished chapter two of that book." Annie looked down at the book in her hands and read the title, Animagus Training: Basics for Beginners and looked back up at her professor.

"A potion? Really? It's that simple?" Annie asked looking skeptical. "Wait, what does it do?"

"You will find out when you read that book," Professor McGonagall answered simply. "But first we'll talk about distinguishing marks. Now what can you tell me about your father's and uncles?"

Annie tried hard to picture their transformations in her head before she answered. "Erm, well, dad's got shaggy black hair and he does transform into a shaggy black dog," she said as Professor McGonagall nodded indicating for her to continue, "and Uncle James's stag has really hazel eyes."

"Yes," Professor McGonagall said standing up again and moving to the center of the office. "I am going to transform and you will take a good look and see if you notice any of my distinguishing marks."

Annie nodded and with a pop! Professor McGonagall transformed into a tabby cat sitting rigid on the floor. Annie gave a small laugh and got up from her seat to look at the Animagus cat. When she was done looking she sat back down and Professor McGonagall popped back into appearance.

"May I ask what was so funny, Ms. Black?" she said resuming her seat.

Annie laughed again. "Well your cat form was just so rigid, like you," she said gesturing to her professor who just shook her head. "Oh come on, a cat that can sit that still would only be you."

"Yes, but what about any physical markings?" she asked.

"Oh, right. You have markings around your eyes like your glasses," Annie answered.

"Correct," Professor McGonagall nodded. They continued their lesson on distinguishing marks until it was almost time for curfew. When it was time for Annie to leave, she gathered her bag and her book and turned to leave for the door.

"Thanks, Professor," she said stopping in the door frame.

"You're welcome," she said smiling slightly. "I will see you tomorrow night. Good night."

Annie left the office and made her way back up to Gryffindor Tower. She crawled through the portrait hole and walked over to where Harry, Ron and Hermione were sitting by the fire. She dropped her bag on the ground and flopped down on the couch next to Ron.

"How'd it go?" he asked watching her take off her shoes and place her feet up on the coffee table in front of them.

"Alright I guess," she said. She held up the book that Professor McGonagall had given her. "I have to read this though." Hermione reached out her hand for the book and Annie handed it over.

"Animagus Training: Basics for Beginners," she read. She started flipping through the pages. "This looks really informative."

"I know. There are also a lot of pictures in there, I noticed," Annie said running a hand over her face before she pushed the hair out of her eyes. "So maybe an idiot like me could understand." Ron and Harry laughed as Hermione handed the book over to Harry to look at.

"I'm surprised you haven't asked one of us to read it to you," he said looking at the cover and then handing it back to Annie.

"Could you?" she asked hopefully.

Harry chuckled as he shook his head. He got up from his chair and walked over to the stairs leading to the boys' dormitories, kissing the top of her head as he passed. "Goodnight," he called back and went to bed.

A/N: These have been a little short lately, I know, but I will eventually make it up to you with a nice, long, action-packed chapter soon, I promise! Until next time! XO