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Chapter 66:

The Gryffindors soon found that time was limited when they returned to Hogwarts. Their teachers were giving them more homework than ever before and they were still taking their extra-curricular classes. Frog Choir was now incredibly awkward for Sirius as Louise was constantly crying whenever she saw him. The marauders were spending all their free time working on their transfiguration spells. Astrix had James and Sirius practicing Quidditch two or three nights a week. The boys were growing more and more exhausted. After two weeks they were over-tired from a lack of sleep and over-worked from everything they were trying to do. At breakfast on the Monday of their third week back after the Easter break each of the second years received a letter from the ministry of magic containing their W.O.M.B.A.T. results. Peter started breathing heavily as he began to panic. "What if they chuck me out of the wizarding world?"

James quickly read Peter's letter before the boy passed out, "Pete it's ok – you got an acceptable."

Peter sighed in relief.

James quickly turned to his own letter, opening it calmly. He quickly searched for his grade – outstanding. James nodded happily.

"How'd you do James?" Sirius asked.

"Outstanding, you?"

"Same!" Sirius replied. "Rem?"

"Same…" Remus grinned.

The others hadn't done badly either. Frank had received an Exceeds Expectations. Alice had gotten an Outstanding. Lily, Marlene and Kate had both gotten Exceeds Expectations and Mary had passed with an Acceptable.

Lily wasn't too impressed that James had done better than her but she tried to ignore her annoyance, he has lived in the wizarding world all his life after all.

Slughorn had organised a small dinner party for his favourite students. James and Sirius both attended the dinner but spent most of their time bored out of their wits. "How's your father, Potter? Has he recovered yet?"

"Yes sir. He's doing well – I believe he's hoping to return to work soon."

"Very good. Give him my love won't you boy," Slughorn smiled. "I didn't teach your father, Potter – that was before my time but I worked with your mother when she taught Transfiguration – very talented witch."

James smiled in reply.

The marauders were sat in the common room working well into the night on their Transfiguration essays.

Untransfiguration is a type of counter-spell that is the exact opposite of Transfiguration i.e. it returns something to its proper form, reversing the effects of a transfiguration. An example of an untransfiguration spell is reparifarge – it is mainly used when an object has been poorly transformed/ only partially transfigured. This form of transfiguration is often used by Aurors when concealing their identity.

James sighed, "I really can't be bothered. I'm so tired."

"I know man – do you think Minnie will kill us if it's late?" Sirius asked.

"Yep – she'll murder us," Remus sighed.

James grabbed the books that he had stolen from his father's study and flung his invisibility cloak around himself. He quickly grabbed the map from its place in his trunk and tapped it with his wand, "I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good." He quickly checked the map to see that his path was clear. He practically ran down the corridor and out into his secret garden. He was almost absolutely sure that he was the only person at Hogwarts who knew of the gardens existence – that was why he didn't feel guilty hiding from Holly down here. He opened the first of the books he had stolen from his father's study and smiled at the difficult spells waiting to be attempted. The other book had been full of spells that merely changed one feature. These spells transfigured the entire body. James read the opening paragraph; "The journey to becoming an animagus is a hard and tedious. This book covers some of the basics. First make your way through the book casting the spells using a verbal incantation then start again non-verbally. Bear in mind that the skill required to become an animagus is greater than the skill required to cast non-verbal spells. Just because you can cast these spells non-verbally does not necessarily mean that you have the skill required to do so without a wand – after all that is what animagis do; they become animals without the use of an incantation or wand." James pulled out his wand out and looked up the first spell. "Humana ad porcum TRANSVERTO!" He tapped himself on the head and turned into a pig. Oh crap! How do I transform back? James the pig read the book for the untransfiguration spell. He thanked Merlin for Remus teaching him how to do non-verbal spells. Pig James held the wand in his mouth and silently untransfigured himself. He rolled over so that he was lying on his back looking up at the clouds.

Lily was sat on her favourite rock by the waterfall. She dipped her feet into the pool at the base of the waterfall. "Lily!" Snape called as he ran towards her. "Lils, hey."

"Hey Sev," Lily smiled.

"What are you up to?" Snape asked awkwardly. It was the first time they'd spoken since before the holiday.

"Not much," Lily sighed.

"Oh – I'll just leave you to it then," Snape frowned, going to turn back.

"No. Don't do that. Stay… please," Lily smiled.

"I really am sorry Lil," Snape frowned.

"I know – you're my best friend, Sev – I just wish you wouldn't lie to me…"

"I just want to protect you Lils," Severus replied.

"I don't need protecting," Lily frowned. "I can protect myself just fine."

"I know," Severus sighed.

"You've been my friend since we were little – but they all keep telling me stories," a tear fell down her cheek, "they say that you are one of them…"

"One of who?" Snape asked.

"The ones attacking muggle-borns… the ones who attacked Dorcas, Felicity, Mary… do I need to give a more extensive list than that?"

"You shouldn't believe everything they tell you," Snape replied harshly.

"They're my friends," Lily whispered.

"I'm your best friend! You should just trust me," Severus said angrily.

James and the marauders were sat eating breakfast. James had the paper propped against his glass of orange juice. He chewed his toast as he read the headline; Silence From The Knights Of Walpurgis: Cause For Concern Or Cause For Joy? The knights of Walpurgis have been incredibly quiet over the last month. It is currently unknown if they are merely biding their time for a large scale attack or if they have finally given up on their tyranny…

"Jamsey, time to go to herbology," Remus said looking at his watch.

Herbology was incredibly boring. Professor Sprout kept talking about something called abyssinaian shrivelfigs. "The Abyssinia shrivelfig contains liquid that is used in the shrinking solution and the Elixir to Induce Euphoria. Right I want you to prune the plants. Get to it…"

James and the marauders were barely paying any attention to what they were doing. Instead they were discussing the new animagi books. "I think we should start straight away…" James was telling the other marauders, "We've got practice tomorrow night," James looked at Sirius.

"What about tonight?" Remus asked.

"Tonight isn't a bad idea," James nodded.

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Next Chapter...

1. Quidditch practice...

2. The boys practice the animagus spells...

3. An attack...