Lily had been staring at her reflection for several minutes now, and the shock of departure had given way to a deep sense of euphoria. The transformation had worked. The potion she'd taken, "Mutare Sexum", was a derivative of polynectar. Particularly complex to make, it enabled her to transform herself into her version of the opposite sex. Of course, like all potions for changing one's appearance, it was forbidden to the general public and strictly controlled by the Aurors. Now Lily understood why, the result was nothing short of staggering.

"You've completely lost it, my poor girl…"

She had muttered this phrase as she slowly stepped back to observe herself in the mirror. Her eyes went back to detailing her angular face, slim torso, and well-defined abs before widening at the sight of the thing hanging between her thighs.

Oh God. She had a penis.

Lily's cheeks flushed. Admittedly, she was a married woman and the male sex was no stranger to her. But there was a world of difference between seeing a penis and having one!

In a gesture of modesty that she herself considered foolish, she grabbed her towel and tied it around her hips. She couldn't have too many distractions at once! What she was going through was disturbing enough as it was!

Still confused, she left the bathroom and returned to her room. She had to calm down. Yes, first she had to get over her emotions, and then… then what? What exactly was she supposed to do? Why was she doing this? Present herself to Sirius as a man so that he could give her the rake of her life and she would finally understand that, even if she had been male, their romance would never have been possible? Wasn't that the plan she'd hatched at the Aurora banquet, which was decidedly too alcoholic? Get her heart broken once and for all, so she could finally regain control of her life? What a stupid plan… Even if she'd taken the first step by procuring the potion, she knew she'd never dare pursue it. How could she dare appear before Sirius disguised like that? And James, her poor James, how could she do such a thing to him? Even if she was doing this above all to save her marriage… Decidedly, the situation she was in was beginning to make her lose her mind. She was going insane.

All the joy she'd felt in front of the mirror fell like a soufflet and Lily collapsed into bed, staring dumbly at the ceiling for what seemed like an eternity. How long was she going to have to wait before getting her body back? Archie had explained to her that, as with polynectar, the transformation caused by Mutare Sexum was only temporary. The best thing to do was to avoid physical exertion and fast to prolong the effects.

It was better to do the opposite. Move in all directions, go on a binge like never before. Get back to her true appearance as quickly as possible, then throw that damned potion in a garbage can and never think about it again for the rest of her life.

She thought about going to the kitchen but remembered that Sirius still hadn't done the grocery shopping. As usual, when it was his turn, he dragged things out until the last moment and waited for the cupboards to empty. Apart from an old packet of orange cakes, the cardboard of which had started to mold from the damp, she hadn't found anything for breakfast. Anyway, it wasn't as if she wanted to spend any time in the basement either. Between the darkness and the rough stone walls that gave off water continuously, she felt like she was entering a dungeon every time she went down there.

Too bad. She'd just have to eat outside. It wouldn't take her long. There was a snack bar around the corner. At least, she hoped it was still there. Apart from going shopping, she hadn't set foot outside in ages…

That said, she couldn't go outside in her bathrobe. She'd be arrested for public exposure...

No choice, she had to get dressed.

Determined, she opened her husband's closet in search of a new outfit. Unfortunately, her quest was vain. She had to be at least a good head taller than James, not to mention her build, and all the clothes she wore turned out to be too short: the sleeves on the shirts only reached three-quarters of the way up her arms, and the pants were more like capris. Apart from the socks and underpants, nothing fit. Sirius, too, was smaller than her now… The only one her size in the house was….

Damn…

"Remus…"

Would he be mad if she borrowed a shirt and pants from him before she left the house? Yes. Of course, he'd be mad at her. She'd been so hopelessly in love with his boyfriend that she'd been willing to change into a man in the hope of getting rejected. However well-intentioned, it was still despicable and Remus would probably seek to strangle her if he found out.

But then, he'd never know, anyway. No?

After putting away her husband's clothes, Lily climbed the old wooden staircase to the third floor. Arriving in front of Sirius and Remus's room, she hesitated briefly before lowering the handle. It wasn't the first time she'd entered this room, but entering Sirius's privacy always made her a little nervous. Slowly, she pushed open the door before slipping through the doorway.

Lit by both a large window and an immense solid silver chandelier, Sirius's bedroom was one of the brightest rooms in the house. A wooden bed carved with floral motifs occupied the right-hand wall. Two wardrobes and a desk were on the left. The gloomy wallpaper had been covered with posters and photos. Most were relics of Sirius's teenage years, depicting Muggle motorcycles or the Marauders' high school years. The more recent ones showed Sirius with Remus or James. Lily appeared in only one of them.

It was her wedding photo, of course. Sirius posed between her and James, embracing them both around the waist as he grinned at the lens with all his teeth. James cheerfully patted his shoulder, and Lily looked at them with an amused expression before suddenly lowering her gaze to stare at her feet.

If only Sirius knew how much she'd wanted to cry at that moment…

Her heart aching, Lily preferred to concentrate on Remus's wardrobe. The choice was relatively limited compared to James. Remus had never been the coquettish type, much to the chagrin of Sirius, who often told her he dressed like a sack of potatoes. His wardrobe consisted of old, weathered tweed suits. Lily grabbed a white shirt and black pants and hurried to put them on. The result was much more conclusive. The shirt yawned a little, but once tucked into her pants, it showed off her slim waist and covered her arms to the wrists. The pants came down to her ankles, emphasizing the slenderness of her legs. Dressed like this, she looked like a young dandy. It was quite a change from her usual style. Apart from dresses that floated so loosely on her and old clothes from before the War, she didn't have much in her closet either. In fact, it was the first time in years that she had observed herself after putting on a new outfit. The rest of the time, she shunned her own reflection.

Today, however, was no ordinary day. Even though this potion was monumental bullshit, she was enjoying what she was seeing. Oddly enough, it even made her want to leave this house even more.

Ignoring Walburga's cries, Lily stole a pair of shoes and a coat from the hall, also belonging to Remus, then finally stepped out into the street. The September sun shone coldly down on the cobblestones. The wind had picked up and was rustling the branches, pulling off handfuls of yellowing leaves and depositing them on the sidewalks. It was almost autumn, Lily's favorite season.

The young woman relished walking down the street and gawking at passers-by. It was fun being so tall. The world seemed so much smaller. The sidewalk was light-years away from her chin. She could see the tops of young girls' heads and, when she walked with a purposeful step, people would move aside to let her pass, whereas she was usually jostled from all directions. Aside from the loss of 40 precious gallons, she could tell from this moment of madness that she loved being perched on stilts. She couldn't help laughing as she watched her heron legs twitch with every step.

A group of high-school girls waited with her at the crosswalk and gave her a few sidelong glances. When Lily smiled back, they giggled, their cheeks turning pink, before walking away. Lily felt deeply flattered. Clearly, she wasn't the only one enjoying her new body. It may have been completely futile, but it made her happy. So much so, that once she had her sandwich in hand, she couldn't help but continue wandering the streets, observing the shopfronts as she chewed absentmindedly on her lunch.

One of them, on the corner of a large avenue, finally caught her eye. The window displayed a whole series of elegant suits, as well as more casual men's outfits, and Lily couldn't help comparing them with what she was wearing. There was no denying it, Remus's clothes really did make her feel like she was living in the last century!

"Hello there. If you're looking for a suit, I've got just what you need."

The sudden voice, much too close to Lily's ear, startled her violently, and she narrowly missed dropping her sandwich. Reaching into her pocket for her wand, she turned to face the stranger, ready to do battle.

Opposite her stood an elegantly dressed young man, looking as if he'd stepped out of a fashion magazine. If she looked like a dandy, he appeared to be a true womanizer, with his big green eyes and long brown hair tied back in a ponytail.

"Well?" asked the young man in a suave voice as he ogled Lily up and down, "Did I scare you? Nice style. Very vintage. Very 'Mister Darcy', but, I think it wouldn't hurt to bring everything up to date, what do you say? Come and take a look at my store. I'm sure I've got the perfect outfit for you."

Confused, Lily didn't really know what to say.

"Well, I wasn't really planning to buy anything today… I'm not very comfortable financially at the moment…"

"You don't have to buy!" the young salesman hurried to retort, "You can just try! It never hurts to try new things once in a while! Come on, step inside, come on!"

He quickly took her arm, and Lily felt as if she'd been kidnapped. A bell rang, a door slammed, and now they were both inside the store. Well, she had to admit that the interior was very pleasant. Small but plush, with a superb collection of clothes.

"Would you prefer checked or plain?" asked the man, who had already rushed to pick up his tuxedos.

"Er… I'm not interested in suits," Lily replied distractedly, too busy observing a beautiful cashmere sweater on one of the shelves.

For all answers, the salesman poked his head out from the shelf he'd ducked to, frowning.

"Ah. I thought, given your style, this would suit you best. But either way, we can always have you try on some everyday clothes. That'll suit you just fine too… Right. Let's set a goal. What are we dressing for? Work? An outing, a restaurant? A date, perhaps?" he added with a small smile. "Do you have someone in your life? You strike me as a romantic. Is there a woman you're interested in? Or, perhaps, a man?"

Lily could feel all the hope he'd put into that last question, and her flushed cheeks answered for her. The other man seemed delighted.

"Ah, so we're on the same team! Glad to hear it! And, is this a serious relationship or…?"

He had said this as he watched Lily out of the corner of his eye, leaning against one of the displays.

The young woman felt an urgent need to make him understand that she was already taken. "Yes. For a long time now. It's a serious relationship."

She was in a serious relationship, yes. A serious relationship that drowned her in endless torment every day, but a serious relationship nonetheless.

The poor guy found it hard to hide his dejected expression at the news. "What a bummer. Well, good for you… In that case, let me dress you to please him. I promise I'll put together an outfit that'll turn his head! Trust Leonardo Adoni!" he winked at Lily before continuing, "That's my name. But you can just call me Leo. And you? What's yours?"

The question left Lily speechless. Damn, she hadn't even thought of a name. What could she possibly say?

Not wanting to leave anything blank, she hurriedly opened her mouth and threw out the first male name that came to mind: "Ethan! Smith. Ethan Smith!"

For an answer, Leonardo offered her a manly handshake that delighted the redhead.

"Nice to meet you, Ethan. Come on now, leave it to me, I've got an idea. You'll look great!"

Leonardo hadn't lied. He'd carefully circled the store to concoct Lily an outfit to die for. He'd opted for an elegant black perfecto and a white cotton shirt, complemented by dark wool tapered pants and leather ankle boots. A green shawl added a touch of color to the ensemble, highlighting her eyes and red hair. Circling around her, Leonardo whistled, admiring.

"Well, well, well. If he doesn't want to jump you with that!"

The remark drew a pinched smile from Lily. As beautiful as the clothes were, it was Sirius who would have liked them most. Not James. Her husband had always been a romantic, in love with Lily's summer dresses. Leather boots and jackets were his best friend's thing. How many times had he tried to convince Remus to change his style, chasing him around the house brandishing new clothes he'd bought just for him. The werewolf had always refused, arguing that he felt better in his old clothes. If Sirius had seen Remus dressed like that, he'd probably have jumped all over him…

The mere thought made her want to cry, and she struggled to sit up straight, swallowing her pain.

"It is indeed beautiful, thank you."

"If I gave you a 10% discount, it would only come to £370. Not bad for a full outfit."

This time, Lily laughed. The salesman was definitely sticking to his original idea.

"Again, I can't afford it. Perhaps another day…"

Leonardo placed his hands on his hips before slowly shaking his head, almost mournful at the thought of Lily putting on her old, too-big-for-her suit again.

"Ah dear… What a shame… Well, at least we had a good time…"

"Yes," asserted Lily, "I had a great time thanks to you. Thank you so much."

She had returned to the fitting room and was sitting on the stool to remove one of the boots when the salesman's head poked through the curtain.

"What if I make you 15%? 20%, even. In exchange, you give me advertising! I'm sorry, but it would be criminal to let you leave with your old clothes when…"

He stopped in mid-sentence to stare at Lily incredulously before stepping straight into the booth to lean toward her.

"Uh, is something wrong?" asked Lily, suddenly uncomfortable.

Leonardo blinked, still stunned, before answering in an uncertain voice: "Well… I… You're going to think I'm crazy… But it seems to me that between your arrival in my store and now your hair has grown… In fact, I'd swear by now, I can see it growing…"

His declaration had the effect of a bomb. Lily ran her hands through her hair and realized with terror that it was now falling across the top of her cheeks. Damn. As the transformation had been painful, she had imagined that her return to normal would be too. Clearly, the effects were coming to an end in a much more vicious way.

She desperately fumbled in her pockets for the potion and soon had to face the facts: she'd never taken the vial with her. The bottle had remained on the bathroom sink.

Oh fuck, what a moron…

There was a sinister crack and this time Lily was overcome by a violent pain. Her nose had suddenly shrunk. Reflexively, she clamped a hand over her face before hastily slipping Remus's moccasin onto her still-shod foot.

"My God, are you all right?" cried Leonardo, this time white as a sheet, "What's happened to your nose?"

"Nothing, nothing!" screamed back Lily, completely panicked too. Damn, she had to get out of here in a hurry before the situation got out of hand!

She leapt to her feet, stuffing the boot and second moccasin into the shoebox before snatching her large coat from the chair. Never mind the rest! Her fingers were already starting to shrink, and her chest was burning.

Running like a maniac to the cash register, she hastily opened her wallet and placed all the Muggle money she had on the counter. Her personal savings. It was a good thing she hadn't converted them.

"I hope this is enough! If there's more, keep the change! Sorry!"

Leonardo offered to call an ambulance, but Lily didn't respond and rushed towards the exit.

The journey home was a nightmare. The pain of the transformation made Lily whine shrilly, and she had to pull her coat over her head to hide her face. Clutching her bags to her chest, she ran, jostling everyone in her path. She lost centimeters with every step. She could feel her body melting under the clothes, and the coat was now floating on her shoulders, constantly getting tangled up in her legs. At a bend in the road, her foot, now too thin, went up into the old moccasin, catapulting it into the middle of the road. Lily huffed and tried to cross the road, but the flow of cars forced her to stay on the sidewalk.

"Shit, shit, shit!" shouted Lily.

"Are you all right?"

An elderly man had put his hand on her shoulder, and Lily could see through the folds of the coat that a small group of passers-by had gathered around her. Ah, she must have looked silly like that, with her coat over her head and her clothes now much too big for her. Lily wanted to reply, but a sudden pain in her stomach condemned her to silence. Instead, she angrily removed her boot before continuing her escape, smashing her bags against the crowd.

It was in socks and sweat that she arrived at 12, Square Grimmaurd. As soon as she slammed the door, she collapsed in the hall, her head landing in a row of shoes. Violent spasms shook her body and she grunted in pain. How long had it been since she'd taken the potion? Just over three hours? For just one sip? Archie had made a fool of her. A week for 30 cl, you bet, that potion was junk.

"Who's there?" shouted Walburga from behind her curtain, "Who dares venture into the Black mansion? Is it you, you Mudblood? I heard you coming out earlier! What were you doing out there? Mischief, I suppose!"

With her head resting against one of Sirius's dirty boots, Lily grimaced in annoyance before closing her eyes.

She'd never use that damned potion again.

It was a promise she'd made to herself.