Sorry that I haven't updated in over a week. I usually plan on updating once during the week and once over the weekend but this week was just so busy. I had three papers due yesterday, an AP history test, four tests, and a recital to go to. I know you guys are probably tired of hearing my excuses, but that's really what happened. I hope to update before the weekend is over but considering I have a huge project due on Monday that I haven't even started yet, I think that the middle of next week is a more realistic goal.

I hope that you enjoy this new installment of A Black and White Story. If you like this then check out two other stories I have written in this universe. Don't forget to review this and any of the other stories either! You never know what you can influence.

Lily was on the war path. She never, ever been this mad before. Her green eyes were snapping with anger and her hair somehow looked even more red in her fury. She stormed into the common room with murder in her eyes,

"POTTER! BLACK!" She screamed.

The two boys' heads popped up from over the couch.

"You called, Evans?" Sirius asked lazily with a lazy smile on his face. He was feeling quite accomplished with himself after the success of the prank.

SMACK!

Lily had stormed over to him and literally smacked the smirk right off his face. He fell off the couch in shock and looked up in terror at the irate girl. Thankfully for him (but unfortunately for his friend) Lily turned her anger towards James.

"You!" She yelled at him. "You are responsible for this!" She jabbed her finger painfully into his chest.

James looked at her confused, "What the hell did I do?" He asked when he looked down

She looked ready to murder him. She pulled out her wand and held it against his throat. "Don't you dare act like you don't know what you did, you toe rag!" She screeched at him.

Ben and Remus scrambled up from their homework. Ben pushed James back, getting him away from Lily and putting himself in the line of fire.

"Lily, we honestly don't know what you are talking about," Remus explained from behind Ben but still in front of James. "What happened?"

She took a calming breath, not wanting to snap at the two boys she didn't have any reason to angry at, based off of her knowledge.

"Severus had a bad reaction to the potion he took to get rid of whatever they," she turned her furious eyes towards the two boys standing near the back of the group, one with a red handprint across his pale face, "did to him in potions today."

James and Sirius burst out laughing and they high fived each other. Lily was either so angry or over her emotional capacity because tears started pooling in her eyes.

"It's not funny!" she shouted, her voice cracking a little bit. "He couldn't move his face for hours!"

That just brought James and Sirius into another round of laughter. Ben tried to hide his laughter but he let one smile through. He could just imagine Snape's cheerful grin stuck on his face.

Done with the whole situation, Lily pushed herself away from Ben, who had one hand still on her shoulder. Remus looked after her, wanting to comfort her and explain that they really meant no harm. But Ben shook his head, "Ursula and Elyse are up there; they'll explain everything."

That calmed Remus's nerves. By that time, James and Sirius calmed down. James, still chuckling, motioned towards the bag Ursula left with them.

"Peter, grab the bag. We'll go to the library start looking at some of these books. We'll let Ursula and Lysie sleep."

The boys made their way up to the library. James threw himself into the comfiest chair in the book filled rooms while the rest of his friends gathered around him. They pulled out books and settled themselves into just sitting there reading. It was early Saturday morning so they had no worries about people disturbing them. Ursula and Elyse would know where to find them but no one else would. They just sat there are read, occasionally their quills scratching across the paper as they took note of something they deemed important.

Finally, Sirius had enough.

"I can't look at another word. My book has nothing relevant in it. What about the rest of you?" He asked.

Remus and Peter just shook their heads.

"There was something," Ben said, "that I found interesting. There are potioneers looking into a cure at the moment but it sounds like it will be years before they figure it out."

"Damn," Sirius swore, "What about you James."

James was still hunched over a book with a perplexed look on his face, "I think I have something." He said slowly as he flipped the page over. Then suddenly, it was like a light bulb went off over his head. He jumped up almost knocking his chair back (it would have crashed if Remus didn't reach out and catch it) and ran to another part of the library. The remaining friends were only able to spare a single confused look at each other before James made it back. He dropped a heavy book on the table and started frantically flipping through it. When he found the page he was looking for his eyes flew over the words.

"Guys, I've got the answer to Moony's problem!" He said when he finally found what he wanted. He had a triumphant and mischievous smile on his face, something that bought worry to a lot of people's hearts.

Sirius and Ben snorted at the new nickname while Remus rolled his eyes. But then James's words registered with Remus. He almost leaned too far back in his chair and almost crashed to the ground..

"What!"

James smirked, but his eyes weren't exactly gleeful, "It's not really an answer, but it will make it easier. You see, werewolf bites don't affect animals." He said it as if it explained everything.

All he got were blank looks.

"We're all good at transfiguration…" James prompted him.

Realization shone in Ben's eyes, "That's just crazy enough that it might work." He said mainly to himself but everyone heard anyway.

James nodded and thumped his fist on top of the book. "That's what I'm saying!"

"What is he saying?" Peter asked, confused.

Ben sighed as he felt the beginnings of a headache coming on. "What James is saying is that animals aren't affected by werewolf bites-"

"What does that have to do with transfiguration?" Peter interrupted him.

"Merlin Pete, let me finish," Ben said exasperated. "In higher levels of transfiguration you can learn how to transform yourself into an animal, like McGonagall has. You become what is known as an animagus. We can then spend full moons with Remus to make sure he doesn't hurt himself or others."

The dots had now connected in Sirius's brain, "That's bloody brilliant." He said in awe.

Remus had also figured out where James was trying to go with this, "No, no, absolutely not. I will not allow you guys to do this."

"We can do what we want Moony, you can't stop us," James said cockily.

Remus flushed red with indignation, "Yes I can. This is where I draw the line Potter."

James raised his eyebrows, "So I'm Potter now? I hate to break it to you Remus my friend, but I can do whatever the hell I want to, to try to help you."

He was about to retort when a shadow was cast upon the table.

"Mr. Black," McGonagall said, "please come with me."

Sirius groaned but started to get up anyway, "Come on Minnie, I didn't do anything this time."

She did not even react or scold him about his use of the nickname they had all given her. Worry lines were etched onto her face and her eyes were softer. It looked like she was sorry for Sirius.

"I know you haven't done anything, unless you would like to admit something. Now if you please come with me," she ordered while motioning with his hand for him to follow him.

Ben and James shared a look.

"What do you think he got in trouble for?" James asked as they packed up their stuff and left the library.

Ben just shrugged.

"Maybe," Remus offered, "Snape blamed him for what happened in potions."

James shrugged, "Eh, we'll find out later. But if he did turn Sirius in, we'll have to get back at him. So what d'you think of my idea?" James asked, his question directed towards Ben.

Ben nodded absentmindedly, "I mean it would take us a long time to master the process. Some of the best wizards can't become animagi so for us to attempt it at thirteen would be stupid."

"We can go through-"

The two boys continued to discuss theory on the entire walk back to Gryffindor Tower. They were just outside of the portrait hole when Remus finally had enough.

"No." He said resolutely.

Ben and James, who had both just stepped through into the common room, looked back at Remus with looks of confusion on their faces.

"What?" James asked.

Remus took a deep breath before he said, "I don't want you guys doing this. Promise me." He looked them dead in the eyes.

James sighed, exasperated, "Why? We just want to help!"

"I don't care! I don't want to hurt anyone, especially any of you! I'm asking you as a friend, please don't do this." Remus begged while walking forwards into the common room.

James rolled his eyes and opened his mouth to swear to Remus but instead he realized what was happening in the common room.

Lily, Marlene, and Alice were sitting on the couches, all of them with red blotches covering their faces from crying. Marlene was still borderline hysterical while a female prefect tried to calm her down. Alice was the calmest, then again, Frank Longbottom was the one there, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder and talking to her in a calm voice. Lily was just staring into the fire like she didn't really see it. It was a blank stare; she was in shock.

"What the hell happened Evans?" James asked.

Lily didn't offer James a biting comment. She turned to look at him with tear filled eyes. She tried to say something but words seemed to fail her.

It was Ben that seemed to realize something was extremely wrong, "Lily, Alice, what happened?" He asked.

Alice took a shaky breath, "Elyse and Ursula weren't feeling good last night. We all thought it was just a cold."

"It got worse as the night went on apparently," Lily continued in a monotone voice, "By the time they woke up, Ursula had a blinding headache and her eyes all wonky while Elyse had trouble breathing and started coughing up blood."

"Where are they now?" Ben asked, panic filling his voice. It was whatever smoke they had inhaled yesterday, he was sure of it. He knew that it was unlikely that Slughorn kept such an innocent trinket right near so many dangerous things. They had assumed the best, not even considering the worst. They should have at least been suspicious when Ursula and Elyse had gone to bed early the previous night, complaining of feeling run down. But no, they hadn't even thought of going to the hospital wing or checking in with them this morning and this was their reparation for their folly.

Lily shook her head, "Professor McGonagall said that no one could visit them right now."

"How bad is it?" Remus asked, almost dreading the answer.

Lily looked at him with sad eyes, "It's really bad Remus. It's really bad."

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