Chapter 15

"Yes Sirius, Peter and I are animagi." James said looking down at his feet.

Sirius PETER AND I! What the hell James, Sirius becoming and illegal animagus I can understand but YOU AND PETER!"

"Oi don't talk about Sirius like that!"

"James this is mad! You have broken not only about 50 school rules but you've broken a wizarding law! How stupid to you have to…"
"Remus is a werewolf!" James blurted, well that shut her up.

"Remus is a what?" Lily asked in whisper.

"Remus is a werewolf… That's why we became animagi Lily. To help Remus."

"But how does you being animagi help Remus?" Lily asked placing her hand on James shoulder.

"Remus goes through hell every month. He loses his mind and his control. He would slaughter all of us and not bat and eyelid. When Remus first came to Hogwarts he was afraid to tell us as he didn't want to hurt us. When we figured it out he was amazed that we still wanted to be his friends. We decided to help Remus. We would release small animals into the shrieking shack with Remus on a full moon and we found three animals that Remus did not attack. That's why we became animagi so Remus wouldn't be alone anymore." James stopped and looked at Lily, her face streaked with tears. Oh no he had scared her she wasn't going to accept Remus.

"You are so sweet." Lily said wiping her nose on the sleeve of her robe. Well that wasn't what James had been expecting "You're so brave you risked you lives for your friend. You could have been killed or sent to Azkaban but you didn't care you did all of this to help Remus." Lily was impressed at how selfless the Marauders had been. It broke her heart to here James croak

"He would have done the same for us."

"So…" Lily began "Sirius is a big black dog so what are you?"

"I'm a stag," James said proudly "and Peters a rat." James could help but chuckle.

"Now I understand your idiotic nicknames!"

James shot Lily an offended look and puffed out his chest "Our nicknames are not idiotic, they are a stroke of pure genius!"

"Let me guess," Lily replied with a chuckle "You invented them?"

"What does it matter who invented them Lily. They are really good." James said before adding "Even a know it all like you didn't figure it out!"

"I resent that! Who in their right mind could ever figure that out?" Lily asked, nudging James playfully in the ribs.

James ignored the insult and continues "That's the point Lily only us Marauders who are clearly far more intelligent than the general population could ever figure it out."

"Far more intelligent my arse" Lily muttered. "There is no denying what you three did is admirable but it is also absolutely insane! You could have been killed! You could have been arrested! You could have been…" Lily shivered before whispering "Expelled"

"Oh no not expelled." James said his voice laced with fake concern

"Oh shut up!" Lily snapped with a giggle "Anyway James was there any particular reason that you gave that somewhat heart-warming speech?"

James turned the colour of week old porridge and Lily knew this was the moment James had been dreading.

"Please don't freak out on me Evans but…" James said his eyes glued to the floor "Its full moon in three days."

"Why is that a..." Lily said before realising what it meant "You have to be able to transform from my body James you just have to!" Lily shrieked

"I've already tried Lily" James said his expression grim "I can't do it." James finally looked up and met his own chocolate eyes staring at him, a look of pure terror streaked through them.

"What?" Lily choked "What do you mean you can't." Lily's eyes were brimming with tears as her brain ran wild with thoughts of having to spend a night around a man-eating werewolf.

"This body," Said James "Your body isn't magically prepared to transform like mine is. It would take months and a lot of pain to enable your body to transform. Lily you're going to hav..."

"No no no no no! Just because I look like you does not mean I'm a crazy person. Just because I look like you doesn't mean that if I die as you I will be unharmed."

"Lily calm down. You have to do this for me."

"I can't and I won't!" Lily yelled

"Lily please,"

"NO!"

"Please Lily" James said tears streaming down his face.

Just then the door opened and an exhausted and downtrodden voice said…

"Please Lily… I need you"