PETER POV

Why did I become a rat? I could choose any animal in the world. And I became a rat. It even affected my appearance. At least I could fit through small spaces. I transformed, and suddenly, my nose was long, sniffing the ground, my eyes had a rounder vision, and everything looked big. Like, a LOT bigger. An incoming branch brought me back to my senses; the Whomping Willow was enchanted to defend itself and intruders. Intruders like me, and James, and Sirius. I scurried out of harm's way, pushed the knot on the tree, and the branches froze. The Willow was still, just like any normal tree.

Although nothing was normal about this place.

REMUS POV

"Come on, Remus!"

"Hurry up, Remus!"

"Perfect, perfect Remus!"

Yeah, yeah, I'm coming, I thought. My three best friends stood by the Whomping Willow, planted the night of my arrival, planted the night Dumbledore found out about my - about my…let's just say condition. Peter (alias Wormtail), had transformed into his animagus - a rat. Why anyone would pick a rat to become I wouldn't know. Become anything in the world - normal or magical. And he picked a rat.

Wow.

Sometimes his size came in handy - he could sneak into any small space, and he pressed a spot on the Willow that made the branches stop swinging violently so me and my friends could advance. Peter re-transformed - maybe he chose a rat to suit his appearance - he resembled a rat; large, bucktooth front teeth, scrunched-up nose, squinty and shifty eyes, and just the overall air of….rattiness.

James Potter (alias Prongs) towered over minuscule Wormtail - tall, with jet-black hair, always messy, blue eyes, and glasses perched on top of his nose.

"Looking well, Lupin. Much too well - it's, lets say, your time of the month again," he joked. I just glared.

"Yes, Moony, its getting dark," said Sirius (alias Padfoot) said. "Should we go through the hole?"

I was about to say yes when I spotted a dark figure, hunched over reading, not too far from the Whomping Willow.

"Who's that?" I asked, and we started to advance.

"Look's like Snivellus, don't it, 'ey? 'Dat you, Snivellus?" James jeered, mockingly. Severus stared at us over his long, hooked nose, glaring.

"Oooh, Snivellus, not supposed to be out this late. Planning how to spy on the Evans girl, huh, you creep! And what's this…" Padfoot jeered, snatching Severus's book, to show an untidy, spidery handwriting.

"What's this, Snape?" mocked Padfoot. "Look at this boys - its filled with poetry. Poetry! Is this your writing? Listen to this, 'my heart's as -"

"Stop it! That's private! Accio book," cried Severus.

"Stop it, that's private, waaah, waaah, waaah," mocked Padfoot and Prongs. "Does wittle baby Snwape want his pwecious book back?"

I wasn't proud of what my friends did or said some of the time, but everyone admits that Severus deserved it, the nasty little git.

"Look, it says 'To Lily' at the bottom!" cried Wormtail.

"Ooooh, so you were thinking of the Evans girl," said James, snatching the book again. "I might just go show this to her."

"No!" cried Snape, whipping out his wand.

"Come on, Snivellus, you don't want me to levitate you in front of the school again. Like hanging up in the air with your knickers visible, huh?" James taunted. Sirius came over to me and whispered a plan to play a prank on Snivellus. It sounded rather good; and I was just about to transform, too. I sneaked off to the Whomping Willow, in through the hole, and transformed.

SIRIUS POV

"Snivellus, we're sorry. How about, you follow Moony through that hole there. He's got something special for you. Something he picked up at, huh, Honeydukes for you," I lied. I was gonna love this night.

"But you've never gone to Honeydukes you've always been banned on the trips, in trouble…" Snivellus started.

"Ahh, yes, well, we always find a way. Anyway get through that hole," I said, giving him a little shove. "Peter," I added in a warning undertone. Immediately, Peter nodded, and transformed into his Animagus form. A rat. I always imagined Snivelluses' form being a rat. Or a slug. Or a cockroach. Something dirty, disgusting, traitorous. Something Snape.

Peter scurried past Snape, brushing against his legs. Snape yelped, and jumped up in the air.

"Merlin's Beard, Snivellus, you're scared of a rat? I didn't know you were such a princess."

Snape glared at me and reach inside his robes.

"Now, now, Snape, you don't want your temper to take hold of you again.

Ah, here we are, ok, you see that hole there, Snape? In the Willow? Just climb through there and follow that path."

Snape looked through, and-

GRRRRRRRRRR…..

"What was that?" Snape gasped, startled.

"What was what?" I feigned. Lying, I continued, "I didn't hear anything."

Peter re-transformed by my side. Snape started to edge through the hole.

Peter and I started chuckling. I brushed back my hair…

JAMES POV

I had an idea of what my friends were up to. Nasty, old Snivellus would get a good fright.

Snape had just gone through the hole when a grey mass appeared in front of him.

Snape screamed in terror, and tried to scramble back. Remus, uncontrollable in his werewolf form, leapt onto Snape, and started to bite and claw, shredding his clothing.

"Stop, stop, STOP REMUS!" Peter and Sirius were yelling futiley. Snape was a deadman. We watched on in horror. Nothing could stop Remus. Except…

I snapped into my animagus form, running as fast as my stag legs could carry me. I pushed Moony out of the way, with him scrambling on the ground. I transformed back to a human, whipping my wand out from beneath my robes, and cried;

"STUPEFY!"

Moony was blasted against the wall of the tunnel, where he fell, limp and dazed.

"Sorry mate," I panted, as I dragged Snape out of the tunnel. He was panting and trembling, mouth hanging wide open.

"What the - what, aha - you, you - you bastard! You saved my life!"

"And look, you ungrateful git, I'm already regretting it," James retorted, grinning.

Snape had a mingled look of horror, disgust, frustration and infuriation on his face. He walked back towards Hogwarts Castle, muttering to himself.

"What a night, eh?" said Remus, who had transformed back to his normal self, as he, Peter and Sirius joined James.

"Yeah…a lot of fun though," said James, which all the Marauders agreed on.

Until, at least, they were summoned to Professor Dumbledore's office the next morning...