Lauren and Lily were sat by a window in the common room, each in their own thoughts. The snow swirled hypnotically, so thick the outside world was barely visible. Lily was thankful that she was curled up in an armchair, the fire warming the room pleasantly. Not that the atmosphere was very warm. The news had come this morning of, not deaths, but disappearances; a lot of disappearances. The Daily Prophet was littered with obscure stories containing nothing more than contradicting details, hidden facts and each held an obvious air of being just as confused as its readers. Lily had to make herself read the paper in the morning, but chills still crept down her spine as she did. The Christmas Holidays, if they could be called that, were almost over. She wished they would hurry up though. She longed for some kind of regular pattern and structure...something to take her mind off...everything. The portrait hole opened and Lily was surprised to see Frank walk in, looking around the room seriously. When she caught his eye, she beckoned him over.

"What are you doing up here?"

"Mcgonagall," he answered wryly, "She wanted me to do more thorough watches throughout the school." He looked bitter for a moment, "I really cannot see how I'm doing any good."

Lily shrugged, "Least you're given something to do. Possible things to do are down to zero. Have you heard the rule about being inside the common rooms as soon as dinners over?"

He nodded, smiling sympathetically. He then held out his hand to Lauren, "I'm Frank, by the way. I'm supposed to be watching over you all." Lauren smiled at him, "Lauren. What do you usually do then?"

"Training to be an Auror."

She was another one to look impressed.

"Where's your blonde friend?" he asked.

"Alice?" Lily said tentatively, when he nodded she and Lauren both glanced at each other.

Frank frowned, "Something wrong with... One of her relatives have gone missing haven't they?"

They nodded, and Frank shook his head looking appalled.

"I heard that...her father died earlier this year as well, that true?"

Lauren sighed, "Alice is having a tough year."

He looked bitter again, "Just wish I could do something to help. My own parents...died for similar reasons."

They were quiet a time...in truth neither Lauren nor Lily really knew what to say. They were lucky enough to still have both of their parents. It was a luxury however, that they were fast learning the worth of.

"Sorry," he said wincing, "Didn't mean to make you all more depressed." Lauren immediately shook her head whilst Lily fiercely rounded on Frank, "Don't apologise. You have every right to say such things. Lets face it, times being what they are at the moment, its fitting. People are being killed off, and with not even so much as with the compensation of making some sort of headway in this dreadful war. He's winning and we know it. We know the ministry can't handle it and we know that its partly working for Voldemort anyway. We know that nothing, nothing is being achieved. We're...we are lost."

Frank looked at her a long moment. He looked at Lauren. Then he sat down on the edge of a chair in front of them, leaning close. In barely a whisper, he started, hesitantly, to speak.

"There is...there is some form...of resistance you know..."

The two girls frowned.

"What do you mean? What resistance?"

He took a deep breath, "I cannot believe I am telling you this. It's more than my life's worth, and no offence meant, you're also way too young... but you seem ...so annoyed. Well, this groups all very annoyed. But we're active. Very active. And so far, we've been the only thing that's working."

Lily hardly dared believe her ears.

Frank's voice lowered even further, he cast looks furtively round at the common room, "The Order Of The Pheonix. Dumbledore's name. He's the leader...of course. I'm...I'm in it. But since my parents got tracked down, that's why I've been dragged here. Keep a low profile for a bit. I just," his voice became stronger, "I just think you need to know. You're not alone in feeling...lost...but we're finding solutions. It's slow but we are. I swear that."

For a moment, they stared. Lily was the first to speak,

"Does he know?" she whispered.

"Voldemort?" Frank snorted softly, "Has his suspicions of course... otherwise my parents would most definitely be alive. But he can't track us down whole, he doesn't know who's in it. And, to be honest, there's a lot of people in it. Not so many that we can full on go to war. But enough that what we're doing makes a difference. A bunch of Aurors are in it for instance."

Lauren and Lily looked at each other.

"This should be the ministry though," Lauren said quietly, shaking her head, "They should be making the changes. They have the power!"

Frank looked at her sadly, "And how much of that power is controlled by us any more? The ministry isn't right. Voldemorts first plan of action was to filter into the ministry and he's managed it superbly. Not so much that we're completely done for, but enough that we simply cannot trust trying to operate quietly from within the ministry."

"And how far can you trust the ones you have?" Lily asked, "I'm...not suggesting people you know and like are suddenly going to betray you...but there's the imperius curse and such isn't there?" Frank nodded,

"We have certain ways of communicating with each other, we established them first as you can imagine. It works...I suppose it has to."

Lily felt something inside stir as it hadn't done in weeks; hope, and...perhaps pride. Something that was worth fighting against Voldemort for...

"Frank?" he looked at her, and she drew herself up, wanting him to see her as more than some teenager, "I want to join."

Lauren stared at her like she was mad.

"Lily, you can't just join in the fun!"

Lily turned to look at Lauren, her face determined, "Why not? I could do something to help surely! Even if I cannot leave this castle. Wouldn't you like to?"

Lauren sighed, "Of course I would. But, realistically, what can we do?"

They both looked at Frank.

But he didn't answer. He got up from his chair briskly,

"I'd appreciate it if you'd both keep this to yourselves. Except your friend, Alice – tell her. She'll need to hear something positive. But don't let her tell family members. I have to go." With just a smile and a wave he walked quickly out of the common room.

Lily was still contemplating this order of the phoenix idea well into the evening. She wondered about Frank's abrupt departure from their conversation...did it mean he was considering it? She felt so strongly she needed to help, surely that was worth something. Alice had come down from her bedroom at one point, looking tired and fed up. They had told her about it, and a grim determination had set about her eyes.

"Well then, I'm joining."

Lauren rolled her eyes and began firmly, "No, we cannot simply-"

"Lauren!" Alice said it so aggressively they both stared at her, "Whatever you think you know about anything, just forget it! I'm tired of sitting here, doing nothing and listening to my family being attacked from every direction, simply because they believe in fighting for the right thing! In the morning I'm going to find Frank. I'm going to make him tell me what I must do."

It was well into the night. Lily slipped on her small t-shirt and shorts for bed, but did not climb into it. She sat on the edge of it playing absent-mindedly with her hair. Critically, Lily noticed it had grown way past her shoulder this year, falling in deep auburn waves that almost reached her chest! She was trying to decide whether she liked it better longer, running her fingers through it curiously, when she heard a creak from farther into the bedroom. Alarmed, she dived for her wand and crouched beside her bed swiftly. But, peeking over the edge of it she saw James bloody Potter strolling with ease into her room, stopping as he scanned the premises for her. She jumped up and he gave a funny kind of yelp, very nearly making her giggle. Very nearly, but not quite.

"Shit, you scared me!" he gasped.

Lily crossed her arms, (telling herself it was from anger, not vulnerability, that she did so).

"What are you doing in my room! Get out!"

He raised up his hands defensively. Immediately, (irritatingly) at ease once more.

"Calm down, I'm not going to be here long," his eyes moved over the contents of her room and she reddened slightly. Almost all she had worn in the week was simply scattered about the floor. Her draws and wardrobes were all open and her desk was a mess of paper, ink and, much to her mortification, (and vague confusion) underwear. The sight seemed to amuse him. "Nice room, Evans."

Lily tried to force herself to be cool, and not to appear flustered, "What do you want?!", but it did not seem to be working. Luckily for he though, and quite surprisingly, his apparent calm slowly seemed to be unravelling somewhat.

James fidgeted, drumming his fingers at his sides, eyes darting about the room; he looked nervous.

"We're...we're friends now right?"

The question made her pause. Where was he going with this? "...Yes, I said we are didn't I?"

Slightly awkward, he spoke again, "Yeah, it's just I couldn't help noticing you've been a bit...off with me lately...perhaps its just my imagination..."

Lily was unbelievably grateful for the semi-darkness present in her room. Her cheeks burned red; she thought she had been discreet about that, but he'd obviously noticed. She felt confusion replace embarrassment quickly though; why should she care if he noticed? And why had she been ignoring him in the first place? Then she realised that whilst James was still looking at the floor, his eyes were trying to watch her face whilst trying to seem not to. Hurriedly she answered, "Oh no, that's just me. I've been like that with everyone lately. Sorry if I offended you..." She couldn't help but feel slightly proud of that. It had sounded entirely convincing. For some reason James didn't look all that happy with her response though. "Ah," was all he said. For a moment they stood there in silence. Lily thought she had left awkward moments like this behind...

"Is that all you came here to say then?"

He hesitated, his eyes darting about her face until, "um...ye...yeah. That's all. Sorry to have bothered you." He was already moving back as he said it. Lily frowned, and she felt her feet move slowly towards him. There must be something more...some reason he had to stay...just a little bit longer...

"Y-you're sure?"

He stopped dead when she spoke, his eyes fixed on hers...they seemed to be searching for something...

Anxious to see his expression clearly she edged slowly just that bit nearer. She was but a few paces from him now.

"Was there something else?" she asked quietly. His face was bloody unreadable... she strained to even make out his eyes.

He carried on looking at her a while, then, in a very soft...almost gentle voice, he said "I wanted to show you something."

Her heart started being very fast. Something about that voice made her want to...want to what??

"We do, I mean," he said hastily,"The Marauders think you should know something now," he seemed to gulp, "but if I tell you, you have to promise not to tell anyone. Not even Lauren or Alice..."

Lily was more than intrigued, she was fascinated.

"I...I promise."

He took a deep breath, "Would...would you come with me then? So we can show you?"

Lily hesitated. "This isn't like a trick or anything?"

"No, most definitely not!" The sincerity in James' voice would make him one hell of an actor if he was lying... something in his eyes told her he wasn't though...

She nodded, "I'll come with you."

He sighed heavily, as though he'd been holding his breath. "Right, um... meet me in the bathroom in a bit? You're gonna need to get dressed. We're...we're going outside."

"What? How?"

James looked at her a little longer, but simply said, "You'll see," and darted back up the stairs.

Lily stood in the middle of the floor staring after him...until suddenly she was overwhelmed by a crash of feelings. She was excited. More than excited. After being bored, after feeling so fed up... She rushed around her room looking for some clothes. It was the middle of the night in winter; she would have to dress for warmth it seemed...but she still chose her nicer coat. And James was taking her... the excitement built up even further. She walked quickly up the stairs, (after spraying a little perfume on).

James was standing in the moonlight. He had a dark coat on with a Gryffindor scarf hanging round his neck. That strikingly black hair he had was its usual rumpled self; she suppressed the rather disturbing urge to run her fingers through it.

For a moment they looked at each other, until he frowned in amused puzzlement.

"Are you wearing anything under that coat?"

She gave a start and looked down; she had a skirt on although the coat went over it, so all he could see were the dark woollen tights she had on (they made her legs look rather slim she knew), accompanied by leather boots.

Indignantly she crossed her arms, "I have a skirt on idiot, can we go?"

With a small smirk he nodded and came towards her. He looked very serious and searched her face again – why did he keep doing that? - and began to speak softly...it was that gentle voice again, "Before...before I show you the main secret I wanted to show you one of my own. The others know about it, but its mine. We could actually go without it...but I thought it might be fun this way..." he grinned again, something truly mischievous in his eyes, "You'd better appreciate this, Evans."

She watched curiously as he picked up something he had draped over a towel rail. It unravelled, a silver cloak shimmering in the moonlight and it looked so strange, like water woven into material. She gazed at it,

"What...what is it?" James grinned at her, his eyes sparling,

"It's an invisibility cloak."

They were out beyond the castle now. Their journey had been in almost silence. In large parts that was due to the amount of people walking warily about the castle nowadays, keeping watch and such, but James didn't think they would have spoken much had the corridors been empty. Since he had wrapped the cloak around them both, James immediately felt the change in her, and his heart had sunk. Rigid as a board, Lily walked stiffly beside him, blatantly uncomfortable and enjoying none of it. Whilst he, usually so collected and together, had to suffer the nuisances of his heart beating so loud and fast he could barely concentrate, and the shivers he got as her body, (and what a body it was) brushed against him...all the way through the entire fucking castle. The only pleasure he was getting out of this was the look in her eyes as he showed her the cloak, a look that thankfully still lingered. That alone, he thought to himself, makes this worth it. The pure joy, the smile, (that he had been the cause of it all), was enough to keep him feeling even reasonably cheerful throughout their awkward journey.

Slowly, they began walking towards the tree James put some of his happiest memories to. He felt something of an excited rush at the idea that he could share this with Lily... it made him want to smile...but the feeling was removed slightly as he reminded himself of her current attitude. Hope was falling right through the floor again...how could she like him? It was impossible. And he had six years evidence to support that claim, whatever Remus said.

"The Whomping Willow?" she whispered. Nodding, James felt a rush of admiration for her. Not once during this journey had she been afraid. Curious...even cautious at times...but never afraid. It was one of the many qualities he liked about her. He felt hope rise just slightly again at the idea that she might, for some crazy reason, trust him.

Studying the castle behind them for movement, he pulled the cloak off. Lily sighed heavily, and James followed suit; was she that relieved?

He turned to her to see she was watching the tree curiously whilst running a hand through her hair. It kept falling gracefully against her every time she reached the ends...it was a rather unfortunate a distraction.

"I think...I'm just going to tell you now."

She looked at him. Another distraction.

"We come here sometimes...once a month..." he whispered. Lily's eyes widened, and then she said something he didn't expect, although the name made him want to spit.

"Severus...a long time ago...when we were friends was...saved by you down here. Is that correct?"

He frowned, "I didn't save him. I just..." why did he have to admit something like this to her? Tonight of all nights? "We played a trick on him. An awful trick," he looked away from her, her eyes were far too direct, "Back when we were crappy and all. I just got cold feet...what...what did he tell you about it?"
"Nothing too much... Sirius played the trick...not you. I worked that much out."

James watched her closely. There was no accusation in her eyes.

"Sev had a theory... about Remus and how he goes away once a month and that trick, whatever it was, you don't need to tell me, was linked to it I think. Linked to here."

"What...what was his theory?"

Lily looked a little embarrassed, "I don't think it's right to be honest. It can't be, Remus is so...Well, he basically said that he was...a werewolf?" Lily laughed nervously. It was all James could do not to stare. "So," she continued, "I'm thinking you've brought me here to tell me exactly if he's right maybe?"

James was lost for words. Lily's eyes, searching his face, suddenly began to widen, "No" she breathed. Gulping James nodded, "Remus, he's...he's a werewolf. Got bitten when he was young." Lily's breathing began to quicken and she stood very still. She glanced up at the full moon, and her face seemed to pale.

"Then why...why have you brought me here?"

For the first time, James realised she must be afraid. He didn't blame her. If anything it made him admire her more. She knew Remus the werewolf was out there, and yet she still stood her ground. Even so, James did what he considered to be the most daring thing he had done all year; he took her hand. She practically jumped out her skin, but very strangely, she squeezed back tightly and moved nearer to him.

"I brought you here because with us, it's safe. We've been hanging out with Moony for years."

"But... I thought, as a werewolf, you eat humans...you don't know who your friends are as a werewolf. I can't imagine it of Remus but -"

"Remus has never had human company. I swear that." He grinned as she frowned.

"This is what I brought you out to show you. We learnt how to do it...to keep Moony company."

He stepped back, feeling slightly nervous. He knew how to do it like he knew how to breathe. But it was strange, with Lily watching him so avidly.

He closed his eyes to make it easier, and immediately he felt his mind begin to alter, melting into another form. James' body moved further away from him, and his conscience became almost a separate entity within something else, something entirely new. He was used to this though, he smiled inwardly as he felt certain aspects of his personality slide forward to connect with his other body...the bits that made him into this... bits he had come to identify as pride, a grace of some sort, arrogance, strength, intelligence. And, of course, a need to be free, to live adventure, for the rest of his life. He opened his eyes. It always felt like it took a long time for that process to happen, but he knew only seconds had passed. The world was different from this point of view, colours sharper, sounds were clearer, and he could smell everything. A thousand senses washed over him. He felt...alive...like this. He tilted his head up, feeling the familiar weight of those antlers atop his head...like a crown... Lily was there. He could smell her. The part of him that was human, somewhere in the back of his mind, breathed her in. She was gazing at him and slowly, tentatively, she crouched before him. He could make out every detail on her face, even the faintest freckles.

"James," she whispered, staring in wonder "You're a stag." Lily smiled and he moved nearer to her, being careful he didn't catch her on his antlers. They could be painful. She gently moved a hand out to his nose and giggled as he shook his head quickly – his nose was sensitive. He heard a rustling in the distance. Lily had not – she could not with human hearing. But James lifted his head high, using every inch of his senses. Then, suddenly, that big shaggy dog, as big as even James, came strolling out of the far trees. If he could, he would have grinned. The image of Sirius as that dog could never fail to make James smile. Sirius started moving his paws fast, reaching them quickly. Lily jumped back with a gasp as she finally noticed the dogs arrival. Sirius was huge, not to mention slightly threatening, and she did not know who he was. James instinctively moved in front of her. Lily rested a hand on his shoulder, crouching slightly behind him. He felt oddly... calm, with her near. Usually, when in this form, he had sudden desires to gallop madly through forests without thought of time, or space or dangers. He was free like this. Unattached to human responsibility. But now, here with Lily, he was completely still, and it wasn't a bad feeling.

Suddenly, Sirius in full human form loomed over him and Lily burst out laughing, her expression one of both shock as well as delight.

"You're both animagus! I can't believe this! When did this happen!"

"I think it was in our 5th year we managed to finally do it." James said, stretching from the transformation back into human. He held out his hand and she hurriedly took it, rising up from the floor.

She looked at them both astounded, "Why did you do it?"

James grinned, "Bit of fun maybe?"

Sirius rolled his eyes, "It was James idea, he wanted to think of a way to make Remus feel better, couldn't bare the idea of him being all alone as a werewolf. So he made us go through the rather dangerous process of learning to transform. Took fucking ages...was worth it though..."

Lily was looking at James strangely now.

"How long did it take?" she asked finally,

Her look made James feel vaguely embarrassed...

"Quite long," he shrugged, "Um...we started in 3rd year. So 2 years about."

She practically beamed at him, "Well, its amazing."

James smiled awkwardly, looking at the ground whilst pretending to simply ruffle his hair up a bit. His cheeks felt rather hot.

Sirius snickered slightly, and James glared briefly at him.

"Would you...would you like to come in?" he gestured awkwardly at the tree, still unmoving behind him. She didn't even glance at the tree, she kept her eyes on him and nodded eagerly. He couldn't help it, he laughed a little, feeling pleased, but grimaced inwardly; he must look such a fool. Lily quickly held out her hand,

"Lead the way."

She looked so trusting. James felt some of his confidence, confidence that could never quite be removed from him, come back. He wanted her so badly. He took her hand tightly in his own, pulling her nearer to him as they walked. He thought...he thought he might even need her.