The Wolf and the Raven

Ch 53 - Goodbye for Now

It was well past three in the morning when Remus dragged himself to the hatch in the floor. He lifted it as much as he could in his weakened state, a mere few inches. "Branwen," he rasped.

Her head shot up at the soft noise. His voice was barely discernable from the creaking of the house, hardly louder than her brother's breathing, but it was what she had spent all night waiting for.

Branwen poked the boys into wakefulness, then crawled up into the Shack to tend to her patient. When she was finished, they joined her. James set off to collect the dew that had seeped through the derelict walls. The Animagus instructions prescribed that the dew must come from a place that "neither sunlight nor human feet have touched."

Sirius gathered the phials that he and Branwen had planted earlier and the newly-dubbed Marauders gathered on the floor in a circle. Remus had a blanket drawn close over his trembling shoulders and a bandage plastered across his chin. The boys knew without asking that his clothes were covering even more blood and bruises.

"Are we ready?" Branwen glanced around the circle.

They nodded.

One by one, James, Sirius, Peter, and Branwen peeled the leaves from their mouths and stuffed them into the crystal phials. They each plucked one of their hairs, then dropped it in with the leaf. The teaspoons of dew were added. Last of all, they added one of the Death's-head hawkmoth chrysalises that Peter had collected (Branwen had been desperately worried about trusting Peter with the moths, but the boys convinced her to allow him the responsibility).

In the corner of the room, they placed a small wooden box in which they hid their phials. The phials would stay here, in "a quiet, dark place," until the next electrical storm.





"Good morning, team!" Kingsley was indecently chipper when his team gathered around him early Sunday morning. "Are we ready to go out and win today?"

Fabian, Gideon, and Alex cheered and punched the air.

James, Sirius, and Branwen blinked sleep from their eyes.

"Here," Kingsley passed them a goblet.

"Is this the Polyjuice?" James sniffed the blue liquid.

"No, it's an Invigoration Draught," Fabian said. "You three look like walking death."

They passed the cup between them, their posture perking up and eyes beginning to sparkle.

"Now this," Gideon passed them each another goblet, "is the Polyjuice."

Each cup contained a liquid of a different colour and texture. Sirius swirled his bubbling yellow mixture. "You're positive this is Newman? Because if I end up with breasts and a vagina...." he trailed off, then shrugged and downed his potion.

James threw back his green brew in a single swallow and Branwen, after making sure her brother survived, swallowed hers as well.

A strange circus of transformation followed. James had it easiest of them all. Bones was only slightly taller than himself, and his hair only a few shades lighter. When it was complete he removed his glasses and stored them in his locker.

Sirius' process was much more painful. He coughed and doubled-over, clutching his stomach. Saliva dribbled from his twisting lips. His bones popped audibly as they grew to accommodate the older boy's body. His sleek dark hair receded into his head, fading colours until it was a pale blonde. He finally hit his knees, groaning as his thick muscles shrank then stretched to match Newman's lean physique.

Branwen experienced a slightly different modification. She pressed her palms to her temples as the growing pains racked her body. Her short dark hair grew into a curly mass of brunette. Then an ache erupted in her chest. Her breasts swelled, along with her arse, until she gained a mature feminine figure in a matter of seconds. The top buttons of her blouse popped off and her uniform skirt nearly ripped down the seams.

"Woah," Sirius' now-blue eyes widened and he whistled when he saw his friend's new curves.

James punched him in the shoulder. "She's still my sister, mate."

"All right," Kingsley continued as though this kind of drastic morphing took place everyday, "are we ready?"

Branwen nodded, her head still spinning. She clutched her broom and stumbled after the boys on to the pitch.

The students of Hogwarts were now itching for a game. The stands were packed with a sea of red and blue.

Lily and several of her girlfriends, all sporting Gryffindor facepaint, found their way to Remus and Peter. Remus was leaning heavily on Peter who was doing his best to make sure his friend wasn't crowded too much, lest his bandages come undone and his bleeding start again. Lily glanced around, then said, "Potter too proud to watch someone else play his position?"

"Yes," Remus answered. "He's in his room right now. Probably crying into his pillow. I expect we won't see him until end of term."

Lily rolled her eyes, trying to suppress a smile. "It will serve him right if we win today. He'll learn that the world can keep on turning without him."

Remus and Peter shared a chuckle, and Peter said, "I have a feeling he'll keep thinking that even if we do win."

The teams finally faced off on the pitch and, after an unprecedented twenty-four hour delay, Madam Hooch blew the starting whistle for the final match of the season.

It was a rough start. No one on the Gryffindor team had taken into account the adjustments that had to be made for the players in new bodies. The high-speed, agile manoeuvrers James, Sirius, and Branwen had spent years perfecting were now completely out of balance. Branwen felt herself almost face-plant when she lifted off, her new top-heavy weight sending her plummeting toward the ground.

Sirius had much the same problem, with at least three inches of new height. To worsen his problem, Newman, though a kind and intelligent boy in the classroom, did not have the typical Beater's build needed for Quidditch. His long, wiry muscles, unconditioned to swinging a bat, threw all of Sirius' shots off their mark.

Only James seemed to be getting along well. Bones had played Quidditch his whole life and the last few months away from the team hadn't diminished his physique at all. Although Ravenclaw made two early goals while Gryffindor was distracted with their disguised players, James swiftly fell into back into rhythm with the Prewetts and they were soon up by fifty points.

Branwen knew within minutes of being in the air that she would not be getting the Snitch. Not only was she at a disadvantage in her body, but the new Ravenclaw Seeker was a worthy opponent.

Second-year Aurora Sinistra wasn't the most talented player her House had ever seen, but what she lacked in skill she made up for in energy and enthusiasm. She was tiny and darted around the pitch like a dark hummingbird, probing every corner for the golden prize. Branwen knew her goal had to be preventing Sinistra from catching the Snitch until Gryffindor was far enough ahead in points. She set about to distract the younger Seeker.

At one point during the game, Branwen spotted the Snitch hovering mere feet above Sinistra's head. Instantly, Branwen sped in the opposite direction. Sinistra, oblivious to the Snitch gave chase to her opposition.

"What is Latimer doing?" Lily grumbled. "I don't think she's even looking for the Snitch."

"She's probably not," Remus murmured. He had noticed the problem right away. His friend was not at the top of her game and it was that body that was holding her back. That lovely, soft, shapely body. Remus swallowed hard.

Lily, who hadn't heard him, continued. "Bones is playing well today though. I would have thought he might be a bit rusty, but he's in rare form. Maybe he should come back and replace Potter next year."

She wasn't exaggerating. He passed the Quaffle between Fabian and Gideon with practised accuracy. Time after time, he lobbed the Quaffle past Ravenclaw's Keeper, Wade Fawcett, with consistent precision.

When Gryffindor was finally up 350 to 50, Branwen paused to rest. As long their Keeper, Alex Jordan, continued to keep the Ravenclaw Quaffles away, Sinistra could catch the Snitch at her leisure. And catch it she did. While Branwen cruised around, giving at least an imitation of looking for the tiny orb, Sinistra spotted it flitting over the heads of the Slytherin students. She dove for it and, without much competition, snatched it easily from the air, ending the game.

The Gryffindors flooded the field. With the win, they had secured the Quidditch Cup. Hundreds of hands lifted the team, jostling them in a rowdy celebration.

Remus limped toward the crowd, using Peter as a crutch. With the arm that wasn't supporting his friend, Peter waved frantically. "Edgar! Kaleb! Bridget!" When they didn't turn around he shouted "Branwen!" before Remus elbowed him in the ribs.

It got her attention though. As soon as Branwen spotted her friends, she saw that Remus was gesticulating madly while Peter tugged on his hair. Her hands flew to her head. Her brown curls were growing shorter by the second.

Wriggling free from Bertha Jorkins and Florence Conifer who had her hoisted on their shoulders, Branwen ran and grabbed Sirius' leg. It was shrinking even as she latched onto his trousers. As soon as he looked down, he could see the changes coming over Branwen and he realised what was happening. He yanked James by the elbow and the three of them sprinted toward the locker room.

"Hey Bones!" Lily ran after them, intent on congratulating the Chaser. As she saw his back disappear into the locker room though, she noticed his hair turn from tidy brown to messy black. She stopped short, her jaw dropping. She spun around to pounce on Remus, but he and Peter had escaped into the castle.

Though Gryffindor had secured the Quidditch Cup, they lost the House Cup to Hufflepuff, tying for third with Slytherin. Two weeks later, the Marauders were on the Hogwarts Express, heading back to Kings Cross.

The usual end-of-term melancholy settled over their compartment the closer they got to the city. Sirius was going to a house that hadn't been a home to him in over four years. Remus would face three transformations alone. Though James and Branwen had a charmed life, they knew that life would be lonely without the friends they had seen everyday. At least they wouldn't be completely alone though; the siblings had convinced Paula Pettigrew to allow her son to stay with them over the holiday. Branwen didn't trust Peter to remember to say his Animagus incantation every morning and evening.

It was the Animagus process that was clouding Branwen's brow as the train forged on through the countryside.

"Hey," Remus reached his foot across the compartment and nudged her toes. James and Sirius were wandering the corridor and Peter was sound asleep. "Galleon for your thoughts?"

She giggled. "A whole Galleon? James only gives me a Knut."

"What can I say? I pay for quality."

"I'm just worried about those phials in the Shack. If it storms before we get back to Hogwarts or if they get disturbed by something or if we forget to say the spell...."

"Hey, hey now," Remus stood and shifted Peter so he could sit beside Branwen. He took one of her hands between his. "It's going to be okay. You're the brightest witch I've ever met. It's all going to work out."

"You don't know that."

"I do," he brushed a stray curl behind her ear. "Trust me."

It was completely illogical. Just because Remus' confidence had no actual bearing on the outcome. But somehow his words seeped into her heart, spreading a slow, comforting warmth through her body, like a piping tea on a cold winter's day. She let out a long sigh that released the tension in all her muscles. Her head drooped, landing in the centre of Remus' chest. His body stiffened, but she seemed not to notice. In a few moments, she was sound asleep.

In no time at all, they had reached Platform 9 ¾.

As the students poured out of the cars, Branwen felt the gaze of someone watching her. When she turned around, she caught the eye of Regulus. He smiled and gave a small wave. They had three classes together every week, but had not met socially since he gifted her an expensive hairpin for her birthday. She waved back. In their last Potions class, he had asked her permission to write over the holiday. She agreed, but couldn't explain the knot that had tightened in her stomach.

Across the platform, Lily was making her way her way to her parents, Severus slouching by her side. She kept glancing toward the small band of friends who were saying good-bye.

Branwen gave Sirius and Remus tight hugs and got from them promises to write everyday. The boys gave each other awkward side hugs and the loving, insulting farewells unique to teenage boys.

"Try not to wear yourself out with those magazines I lent you."

"I couldn't do worse than you," Sirius smirked.

Remus rolled his eyes. "Maybe you two gits could learn something constructive over holiday....like reading or personal hygiene."

Branwen sighed and rolled her eyes. They were all idiots, but they were her idiots. She kissed them each on the cheek, then they parted company.

A/N: Well, this is the end...of this book! I have Book 2 already started, so expect the first chapter it in the next few days.

In the meantime, read, share, comment, and vote! It's a huge ego boost, lol.
And thank you for all the support so far. You guys rock! <3