Eeeeep…

This is a big one!

And my goofy self can not for the life of me remember if Lily knows about the map.

I don't think she does yet, I have looked and can't find it anywhere if she does, oooops.

Thank you for the reviews and I expect more with such quick updating here!

30

The Stag Is Out Of The Bag

It was late, really late and Lily couldn't understand where James was. He wasn't in his room, she had checked. She had to go out of the dorms because the Hufflepuff prefect had sent her a message that they needed her in their common room. There had been a student hurt when a dungbomb was thrown into their fireplace. It hadn't taken her long to get back to the office but when she did she had paperwork to complete.

She was searching her desk for the parchment that they had to record any emergency intervention on but it wasn't there, remembering that James had used it last for an encounter with a group of first year Gryffindors and Slytherins she decided to check his mess of a desk. She opened the top drawer and sitting on top of all other papers was what appeared at first to be a detailed drawing with moving dots.

Unable to stop her curiosity she picked it up and looked more closely. Upon further inspection it was a map, a very intricate map of Hogwarts, it showed every room, every passages, entire corridors that she had no idea existed. But the truly remarkable thing was that it showed tiny dots that were labeled with names of students, professors, staff, and ghosts. She watched carefully as the students in the Hufflepuff dorm appeared to scatter and go up to their rooms. She watched Filtch prowl the 5th floor through the Runes corridor while Mrs. Norris was slinking through the dungeons. Everything seemed mostly still but something was moving on the grounds. The dot was darting all around and then it was quickly joined by two more. She looked closer to read the names. Sirius Black, James Potter…and her heart stopped, Remus Lupin. A fourth dot slowly came up to them, Peter Pettigrew. What were they thinking? He was a werewolf. He could kill them, or turn them. She had to do something, this couldn't be right. Without thinking she grabbed her cloak off the chair and ran off for the front door.

oOoOoOoO

Standing on the front steps, the ground looked completely quiet, dead almost. She glanced back at the map in her hands, using the full moon as her guiding light. She had last seen them by the huge whomping willow tree. But no one was there. Though there were so many tracks on the ground they made her dizzy. She walked on.

She walked around for what felt like hours through the snow, she was freezing, and more snow had just began to fall. She looked back at the map, seeing nothing she decided to turn and go back into the castle. She was walking the path that Hagrid had made from his frequent walks around the perimeter of the forbidden forest. And she heard a sound that made her blood run colder than it already was. A howl froze her in her spot. She looked at the map, there was nothing there but she could hear him, she could feel him as the hair on the back of her neck stood up. In that moment she did what was possibly the stupidest thing in her life, she turned and ran straight into the forest.

She continued to run, and did not stop until it was so dark she couldn't see the light from the moon at all. She lit her wand and looked at the map but was dismayed that the woods weren't even on there. She had no idea how to get back to the castle, but hopefully she was far enough away from the grounds Remus in wolf form would not find her. She may be willing to accept him for what he was but she was not willing to play with him when he was a living nightmare on earth. She wandered a ways jumping at every noise and crack of a branch. Finally overcome with fear and cold she sat down against an old tree and did the only logical thing she could think of, she cried.

She must have been there for an hour at least, she was so cold by now she could barely move, even though she knew she needed to. Just when she thought that closing her eyes might make her warmer a huge dark form entered the clearing where she sat. Every muscle she had seized up in terror. It stalked closer, slowly, tense. This was it, she knew it was it, in her stupidity she was going to die. The terror moved in on her, pounced forward and then out of nowhere began to lick her face. What the hell? What kind of wolf licks someone's face? She opened her eyes to stare straight into the blue eyes of…what blue eyes…Snuffles!

He barked and bounced side to side like he was excited to see her. Running forward again he licked her all over her face, heating her up a bit.

"Hey boy." She said in a chattering voice.

He stopped pouncing and looked at her, cocking his head sideways. He yelped and ran back, obviously trying to get her to follow.

"Nnnnooo. Tttoo Cold." She stuttered.

The dog walked up to her and nudged her trying to get her to stand. She stayed motionless. He circled nervously and lay down on her lap. He was so warm. So so warm. He whimpered and yelped, she would whisper back and he would nudge her face, almost like he was trying to keep her company. She was starting to warm up with all of this fur on her. Thank Merlin for James' dog, even when he wasn't here he found a way to save her, she thought. She reached her hand up to scratch his head and he stiffened. He stood over her staring to the right of the clearing and crouched low, growling deeply, a warning to anything that heard it. She had never heard him sound so menacing.

She sat up straighter and looked to the darkness where a chilling pair of yellow eyes were glowing back at her. Snuffles hackles were raised and he was snarling, which in turn caused the beast to step from the brush and into the light of her wand. She screamed and that set off a series of events that no one could have foreseen. As the wolf hunched and dove for the flesh in front of it the black dog grabbed her by the scruff of the neck of her robes and jerked her out of the way, when to her utter amazement a huge…something….slammed into the side of the growling wolf.

Snuffles continued to toss her like a rag doll pulling her farther and farther from the fight, she continued to scream as she watched the wolf bite and claw at the beautiful animal. She heard a crunch and saw the velveteen leg get bit and blood poured from it. At that point Snuffles released her and charged at the wolf throwing him into a tree, causing it to splinter and fall. She watched in dread as her favorite animal in the world put himself in danger to protect her and as the hurt magnificent…stag? It was a stag, blocked them from getting at her. Then the stag turned its gaze on her and ambled over. She stood and stared into oddly familiar hazel eyes. It huffed and lowered its front legs, taking the cue she clumsily climbed on and he stood up, and took off through the trees.

She must have been a long way in, it took a long time for the stag to find his way out. And when he did they weren't at Hogwarts, they were if she wasn't mistaken in Hogsmede, in front of the shrieking shack. He lowered his knees and she clambered off, still freezing half to death. The stag looked at her so intently you would have thought it was a person. And then he jerked his great head towards the house, beaconing her to go in. She stood stalk still, she was not moving. He gestured again and she still stood still, he huffed and started to shimmer. She stepped back astounded as James Potter appeared in front of her. Standing tall in a pair of running pants and that was it.

"Damn it Lily, get in the house." He said.

She just stared at him in shock.

"Damn it, Lily, get in the house now!" he yelled.

She didn't move still, standing open mouthed.

"Shit Wormy, transform and get her in there, I have to go help Pads." He said roughly and shimmered back into the great beast and ran off into the forest.

Out of who knew where Pete appeared and took her by the arm, pulling her into the shrieking shack.

"I don't want to be in here." She chattered.

"Look it is in here or freeze to death. Come on, into the front bedroom we have stuff for a fire in there." He said ushering her through the dilapidated house.

"Peter this place is haunted." She whined.

"It's not, that is Remus making the noises and if it was I think we stand a better chance against the ghosts than we do against the angry werewolf outside. Though with you out of the way I am sure the guys got him to calm down. He is probably playing now." Peter said, obviously thinking out loud as he loaded wood into the fire.

She was quiet as he got the fire started, she was so cold. She waited until she had warmed up and could talk normally.

"He is a stag?" she asked.

"He is." Peter nodded.

"Where did you come from, you weren't here, there were no other animals." She said, obviously confused.

He smiled ruefully and transformed in front of her down into a rat.

"Oh, I didn't see you, you are small." She said bluntly.

"I have to be, we need me to be." He said simply. "So I guess, since I am here with you, I should explain, where do you want me to start?" he said.

"Uhm the beginning would be great."

"Right, so it all started in second year, Remus kept lying and James was pissed."

OoOoOoOO

"And Jamie was the first to get it, he as you obviously know, is a stag."

The sky was lightening and Lily saw the first rays of the sun come through the window.

"Uhm, listen Lily, I think you should stay in here, they are going to have to let Remus change back, and you will both be in here, it is going to be sticky, I have to change alright.. Just do not leave this room." He implored.

She nodded and watched him shimmer down into the little rat and run out of the room through a hole in the door frame as she heard a door slam. Instantly her door burst open and snuffles ran through, panting. He pushed the door back shut with his head and threw his entire body weight against it, he was tense. The door outside slammed open again and was followed with howling and screaming. She knew that she should have stayed on the bed but she was scared, she stood and ran over to the side of the dog that had always comforted her and threw herself against him, he huffed and laid his head on top of hers as she started to cry.

About five minutes later she heard a knock on the door and snuffles relaxed beside of her.

"Lily, it's me, open the door." James said.

The dog tried to move and Lily held him in place.

"No." she said, her voice quivering.

"Lils, it's safe just open the door, I need to either get in there to you or get you out before madam Pomphrey comes to take Rems." He said softly.

"I'm scared." She whimpered, still leaning against the dog.

"Move her." James ordered through the wall.

The black dog huffed again turned his head and shoved her out of the way with his enormous body weight. When they were away from the door James limped through. The dog stepped back. James looked at him and nodded.

"All's good, you can switch." He said.

And how she hadn't realized it earlier while talking to Pete she would never know but to Lily's astonishment snuffles, the dog that had been around her so much, the dog that she had told so much to turned into Sirius.

"I..I…Sirius!" she gasped.

He smirked and ran forward to lift her into a hug.

"You scared the shit out of me when I found you against that tree. I knew it was someone, I could smell you but I didn't know it was you until I was right there. Merlin Lils. I wasn't even that scared when we were at the mercy of the death eaters." He said quickly, setting her down when James cleared his throat. "Right I am going to leave you with Prongsie here, we will see you this afternoon." And he kissed her cheek before running out the door and closing it.

Lily looked up at him, he didn't look happy. His face was bruised and a cut ran down his cheek. He had the left leg of his pants pulled up revealing a nasty bruise and a gash down his calf. Over his chest were various cuts and bites. He sat down beside of her on the bed.

"Are you alright?" he said hoarsely.

"I don't know." She said.

They heard a door creek open and James held his finger to his lips. Lily fell silent.

"Mr. Black, where is Potter?" the nursemaid said.

"He had head's duties until really late last night, so he couldn't make it this morning.

"Oh yes the mess in Hufflepuff, I bet he was up late with all that paperwork." She replied.

"Er..Sure yeah, Hufflepuff." Sirius stammered, obviously in the dark. James looked at her curiously and she shook her head.

They listened as Sirius and Pete helped get the apparently unconscious Remus out and waited for a while until they spoke.

"Lily, I have never in my life been so scared." He said turning his head to look at her.

"Me either, I'm glad it was mutual."

"Don't make jokes, that was so stupid, why did you go into the forest?" he said.

"I was looking for you, there were issues in Hufflepuff you weren't in your room, I needed the log and it was in your desk, I found this, you were on it, I went to find you."

He looked as if all the air had been sucked from his body when she handed him the map.

"I'm sorry I lied to you, about so many things, I couldn't tell you, it wasn't my secret to tell." He said, pushing her hair off of her face.

"You, Oh- you told me, you told me the truth!" she said suddenly, standing up.

"What?" he said, confused.

"When we were locked in your room, your biggest secret, you said, I am an illegal animagus..You told me, but I didn't believe you."

"Oh, yeah I did. I thought that was funny at the time." He chuckled.

"So Sirius is snuffles…ah Padfoot..Pads..it all makes so much more sense now." She muttered.

"He is, I hope you won't be too mad about that, I did try and get him to leave you be but he said you needed him, you needed someone to talk to, though for the life of me he won't tell me what about." She breathed a sigh of relief. "You are handling this alright, much better than I would have thought."

"I think I am in shock, and still half frozen."

"I am sure you are, lets get back to the castle and get you warmed up, are you going to classes today?" he asked.

"I am if you are." She replied.

"I am fairly certain my ankle is fractured at the very least. I can't go." He said, apologies heavy in his voice

."Right, that's good, I am exhausted, let's get you to the hospital wing and then we can see what happens from there."

For once he nodded and just agreed.

oOoOoOoOo

James was sitting on the sofa with his leg up, it was sore but alright for the most part, he was wrong, it was broken, not sprained. They heard the telltale sound of swirling water and looked up to see who was coming in to the office. To her surprise Remus came in, looking pale and sick and his neck appeared to be bruised but he was walking fine and seemed to be more awake than Sirius and Pete who followed him in. Lily nor James said anything as he walked up to the chair Lily was in and spun it to face the other chair beside it and sat down facing her.

"Are you alright?" he asked in a gravely voice.

"Remus, I'm fine. How are you?" she said softly.

"I am not the one that almost got eaten by a rabid beast last night." He grumbled.

"I highly doubt you are rabid and you did, Sirius was pretty close to eating you from what I could tell." She said with a smirk. She heard him laugh behind her before ruffling her hair and sitting on the arm of the sofa James was on.

"Yeah, well, I am glad he did. You aren't scared of me?" he asked.

"Why would I be scared of you? I have known you for years."

"Because I am a monster maybe."

She reached out and took his hands.

"No, you aren't, you are one of my dearest and most trusted friends. I love you to death, Now I am not too keen on your alter ego but I don't plan on taking anymore moonlit strolls so I don't think I need to worry about him." She said with a smile.

Sirius and James both chuckled and Remus looked at her in displeasure.

"Lily this is a huge huge deal that you know." He said.

"Rem, you keep my secrets right?"

He nodded.

"You know me well enough to know that come hell or high water, I will keep yours." She stood up and pulled him into a hug, one that for the first time he whole heartedly returned.

oOoOoOoOoO

James POV

It was late, at least 11 when James came down from his room to see why the light was still on in the office.

"Lily, why are you still up?"

"Oh, I am reading, just reading." She mumbled.

"Too many thoughts to sleep?"

"Something like that."

"Well if you need anything, I am in here, alright." He said gently,

She nodded and turned her face to her book, the same book that was on the same page two hours ago.

He pulled his sweats off and walked to his mirror. Standing in his gold loose boxers he looked at the bruises on his sides and back. He shook his head and climbed gently into bed, laying on top of the covers. He had just opened his eyes when he heard his door creak open. He opened his eyes to see Lily standing in the door way tears streaming down her face. He sat up and slid over so she could sit down beside of him. She quickly climbed in and curled into his side, for a moment his thoughts fell back into last year of the nights they had laid together before returning to their separate beds.

"Did the shock wear off?" he asked quietly, inhaling the scent of her hair.

She nodded silently, only letting her cries be heard. He pulled her into his chest tightly and held her there, feeling her sobs wracking her body.

"Lily, I would have died before I let him hurt you. Sirius too." He whispered.

He ran his fingers through her hair and across her cheeks, wiping the tears from her cheek. It was a while before she calmed enough to look at him.

"Can I stay here tonight?" she asked timidly.

"Anything you want." He said with a smile.

She nodded and put her head back onto his chest.

"Are you sleeping in your jeans?" he asked

"I don't want to go back into my room alone." She mumbled miserably.

"Lils, I have seen you in your panties I think it will be alright." He said lightly.

She nodded and slipped her jeans off, he wasn't expecting her to unhook her bra and slip it off through the sleeve of her fitted blue shirt. He felt his mouth go dry when she threw it off the side of the bed. He looked at her legs and longed to touch them but resisted, instead he pulled her down to his bare chest and pulled the comforter over both of them, holding her with one arm the entire time.

"So, you're a stag huh?" she said sleepily.

"I am" he said with a snicker.

"That's why the patronus?" she asked.

He smiled into her hair.

"Yup, I would assume so, what I want to know though is why yours my match?"

She didn't answer, she pushed herself closer into his side and closed her eyes.

"Lily?" he said softly.

"hmmmm." She mumbled in her half sleep.

"I was so afraid I couldn't save you."

"mfmfmfmff."

"I would die if I lost you" he whispered.

"mmmhhmm."

He was quiet for a bit, until he felt her go completely limp in his arms.

"I love you Lily, forever." He barely said, before kissing the top of her head and falling asleep, breathing in everything that was Lily.