Marauders & their Evans

Third Year 1973

Chapter Sixteen

Saturday November tenth 1973, was the first day I ever visited the village of Hogsmeade, and there is truly no other word to describe it other than magical, like almost everything that revolves around the wizarding world.

I had spent the entire day with Alice, Lily and her friends: Marlene, Dorcas and Mary McDonald, all wonderful and really funny girls. We visited the Three Broomsticks, where I tried butterbeer for the first time, passed by Madam Pudifoot's tea shop, which Marlene said was the cheesiest place ever where all couples would go for their dates. We also went to Honeydukes where I bought a lot of chocolate, and other treats. As we were walking down the streets visiting new places I saw the boys through the window of Zonko's Joke Shop, laughing and grabbing all sorts of things, no doubt buying something for whatever mischief they were planning next, which saddened me a little because I knew I wouldn't get to be part of it.

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That same night around midnight a lonely thirteen year old boy was once again facing a long night full of pain and suffering. Remus Lupin was transforming into a werewolf like he had done every night on a full moon since he was five years old. That very same night rumors and stories had come to life in the town of Hogsmeade. Two years ago the residents of the village had started to hear screams, and strange noises coming from the old abandoned shack at the edge of the village. No one had lived there for ages and no one ever went in, so everyone thought that it must be haunted, thus why it gained the name of the Shrieking Shack, cause nothing could be seen or heard except on the nights of the full moon, when Remus went to to transform.

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Sunday afternoon around half past one I left Alice to go to the library. I carefully pushed open the big doors and made my way to the back. Madam Pince had her nose buried in a book so as long as I don't make too much noise to catch her attention everything will work out as planned.

I quietly walked up to the locked gates and used 'Alohomora' to open them. I carefully read all the books' spines looking for the one McGonagall had told me about.

After a few minutes of looking I found it. Carefully, I pulled out the book, tucked it under my arm and walked out of the restricted section. I made my way back to the table near the window where I usually sit, and where I had already left my bag on a chair. I sat down, pulled out a quill, ink and a piece of parchment, opened the book and started to work.

An animagus is a witch or wizard who can transform themselves into an animal and back again at will. It is a learned skill, unlike the hereditary skill of a Metamorphmagus. An Animagus can not choose their animal form.

The first few chapters only talked about what an animagus is and the details. It wasn't until I had read half of the book that the process for becoming one appeared.

As I read I could see the process wasn't going to be easy and it could be dangerous. I could end up with half-human, half-animal mutations. I shivered just at the thought of that.

Keep a single Mandrake leaf in your mouth for an entire month, from full moon to full moon.

When the month is over spit the leaf in a phial within range of the moon's pure rays, add one of my own hairs, a silver teaspoon of dew that has not seen sunlight or been touched by human feet for seven days, and the chrysalis of a Death's-head Hawk Moth.

Drink the potion on an electrical storm. While waiting for the storm to happen you have to, without fail, chant the incantation Amato Animo Animato Animagus with the tip of my wand placed over my heart.

After I had written down all that I needed I returned the book and made my way out of the library, my mind already working on my next step. Too engrossed in my own thoughts I failed to notice James and Peter walking my way. "Prim! Prim!" James yelled my name a few more times before I saw them. I stopped in my tracks and waited for them to catch up.

"Hello boys." I greeted them once they were close enough.  "Prim we haven't seen you in ages." I grimaced at the thought that my fight with Remus not only caused a distance between me and him, but also me and the boys. "Yeah well, things are not the same with Rem." "We've noticed, what's up with that? I thought you were best friends." Peter elbowed James at his obvious lack of sense. "It doesn't matter why, but we do miss hangin out with you, especially since Sirius has also been ditching us to go to who knows where." Peter said. "Oh that reminds me, we'll get to spend all the time together we want on Christmas holidays, my parents allowed me to spend them at your house James." At the mention of this the boy's face lit up, he had been waiting for so long for his friends to accept his invitation. He loved his parents very much, but as an only child, the time he didn't spend at school with children his own age tended to be very boring.

He gave me the biggest hug. "This is going to be the best Christmas holiday ever. Oh Merlin! I can't wait." I laughed at his reaction, I definitely missed James and his overly dramatic outbursts. "There's one more thing, my parents asked if yours could send them a letter."  "Right of course. I'll write to my mum." He said, pushing his glasses up his nose, he started walking away before Peter pulled him back by his robes. "Where are you going James?" "To the owlery, where else?" He asked as if it was the most obvious answer. Peter rolled his eyes. "She didn't mean you have to write to your parents right this second, and besides the owlery is the other way."

James straightened up before answering. "I knew that." He said crossing his arms over his chest. Peter once again rolled his eyes, and I couldn't keep an amused smile from forming on my face. "You can write to them later, we promised Remus we would meet him in the common room." Peter glanced my way to see my reaction. My smile faltered a little before I spoke up. "Well you better go on boys, you mustn't keep him waiting." James and Peter gave me a smile before heading to their house tower. "See you later Prim." I waved at them. "Bye boys."

I headed straight to the greenhouse, hoping to steal some mandrake leaves, and coming up with a plan in case Professor Sprout was there. I arrived and carefully opened the glass doors. I let out a breath of relief when I saw that it was empty. I walked over to the pots where I saw professor Sprout leave the mandrakes last class. Carefully I took some leaves, stuffing them into my pockets, leaving everything the way it was, sneaking out again before anyone could see me.

I arrived back at my own common room where Alice was sitting, looking like a mother who was waiting for her teen child to come back home after sneaking out. "Where have you been all day Prim?" "I told you I was at the library." "This whole time." "Yes." "Then why did James and Peter tell me they saw you leave when I was looking for you?" I tensed up not expecting her to know, but quickly coming up with an excuse. "Okay fine. I left to go for a walk. I just miss Remus, and hanging out with them, and I don't know what to do."

I felt bad for lying to her, though most of it was the truth, but Remus's secret will always be more important. Her face softened after what I said. She walked towards me and gave me a hug. "I'm sorry," I hugged her back. "It's not your fault." She gave me a sympathetic smile. "You should talk to him Prim, he's your best friend I'm sure he'll listen." "I don't know Alice, I get why he's mad, but he also didn't let me explain, I just can't bear the thought of him being angry at me." "Then you should tell him that, I can't see you looking all gloomy all the time." "I don't look gloomy all the time." She gave me a deadpanned look. "Fine, maybe some of the time. I'll try talking to him, if he let's me." She didn't say another word about the subject and instead we spent the rest of the afternoon in our dorm talking until it was time for dinner.

If only Alice knew just how hard it was going to be to get Remus to listen to me. I knew him better than anyone else and boy was he stubborn, when he didn't want to be seen he knew how to hide and avoid people very well. I never had a hard time finding him, but that's because up until now I wasn't someone he was trying to hide from.

A/N

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Stay tuned messer and don't forget the mischief is not yet managed.