Harry Potter Oneshots

the transformation [m]

1975
Marauders 5th Year

~

"Two years this has taken us!" Sirius flopped onto his bed in the Gryffindor dormitory. "If this doesn't bloody work I'm having a fit"

He watched as James cautiously studied the same page in his book from 'Dastardly Difficult and Dangerous Dexterity' that they'd all be obsessed with since third year. Only one chapter had been read and it had been read so many times it was covered in notes and stains.

James rolled his eyes, "it can't be that hard if Trudy Carven could do it"
"Correction!" Remus interjected, "Trudy didn't complete the transformation and is still at St Mungo's. Rumours say she might spend the rest of her life as half human, half chinchilla. Becoming an animagus is never easy Potter, don't fool yourself"

James closed the book and threw it into his trunk where they hid it beneath his second year Herbology textbook. He put his arms up surrendering "just trying to be positive for once. I don't want to think about it going wrong, what if we get stuck half way, or worse have to start from the beginning?"

"I don't know if I can bare starting from the beginning again. Mandrake leaves taste vile" Peter shuddered. "Plus I think Professor Sprout would have a heart attack if we stole more leaves from the greenhouses"

Two of the boys agreed with Peter profusely. Remus simply shook his head slowly, "you guys are mad for doing this for me. Mad I tell you"
"That makes four mad ones then" Sirius smirked, "what with your furry little problem and all"

"How do we even know there will be a lightning storm tonight?" Peter asked, staring out of the window at the seemingly calm weather.
"There will be don't you worry" James said joining his friend at the window. "This time tomorrow we'll all have tails, I promise"

"They're not all they're cut out to be" Remus added, "they are frightfully annoying and get in the way you know"
"With all due respect Remus" Sirius patted him on the back, "you're not ever in the right state of mind to fairly judge the annoyance of a tail"

Thunder rumbled through the increasingly gloomy sky, immediately catching the attention of all four Gryffindors.
"It's show time boys" James rubbed his hands together excitedly.

The thunder meant go time, so with in ten minutes the four of the were crammed underneath James' invisibility cloak.
"My ankles are showing!" Remus whispered alarmed.
"So? Who the bloody merlin is going to be wondering about the castle at this time of night to see your ankles?" Sirius answered back.
"SHHH" James quieted them and they exited the castle in silence.

"Come on boys let's go retrieve our phials from the forest and see if they're ready to drink!" James said, stuffing his cloak into his pocket. Together they ran towards the forbidden forest to find where they had hidden their crystal phials to be undisturbed until a lightning storm.

The rain had turned the ground beneath their feet into mud causing it to become increasingly slippy so poor Peter ended up face down in sludge. After pulling him back to his feet and laughing, they boys finally reached the hollowed, moss covered tree stump in which they had hidden their phials.

Sirius pulled his out first to see a blood red liquid inside, "wicked" he grinned holding it up, "they're ready"

Less than ten minutes later they reached the shrieking shack where they intended to transform. Cold and soaked from the rain, they were grateful to be under shelter despite it being the run down shack.
"Right, who wants to go together" James pulled off the cork of his phial and sniffed the red mixture.
Sirius swilled his around, "I say we do it together"
James nodded in agreement, "Peter?"
"Ready" the small, stout boy answered holding his phial to show he was ready to drink its contents.

"Bottoms up then boys" James tilted his hand up until he felt the cool liquid running down his throat. He swallowed it in two gulps and felt it burning in his stomach. If not for the entirety bizarre sensations he was feeling, he would have noticed Sirius and Peter pulling the exact same facial expressions.

Remus watched them with baited breath.

James felt his heart palpate violently and suddenly he was forced to see the image of a stag deer. He concentrated on it with all his might, imagining he was the deer. He imagined himself growing smaller until his arms were on the floor and he was on four legs.

He opened his eyes.

Everything looked much bigger, through new eyes James squinted up at Remus who seemed a whole foot taller than he had been 30 seconds ago.

"My god" the werewolf whispered under his breath. He was now the sole human in the room as he observed a stag, dog and a rat sitting at his feet. "It worked! It actually worked! Now change back so I can talk to you"

James was on two legs in seconds. Peter followed moments later and soon all eyes were on Sirius. He whimpered like an injured puppy might, looking very sorry for himself.

"Crap, he's only gone and gotten himself stuck! I bet he skipped a step somewhere!" Remus worried out loud.
James shook his head, "come in Sirius you can do it! Just imagine yourself human and will yourself to walk on two legs again! Come on mate you can do it" he coached.

Sirius just sat their on the floor whimpering.

James crouched on the floor behind the dog and whispered in his ear, "mate even Peter could do it, you definitely can"
Dog Sirius shook his head and whined.

The three boys turned their backs on Sirius and huddled up.

"Merlin, we have to tell Dumbledore" Remus concluded.
"What about McGonagall? She's an animagus herself so she might know what to do" James suggested.
Peter looked pale, "what if, why if he's stuck like this forever? How can he go to class as a dog?"
James snorted, "I think class is the least of his worries right now Peter"

"Guys is there anything I can help with?"

"SIRIUS" Peter flung his arms around the shaggy haired boy's neck.
"You arse" James pushed his shoulder, "I was actually worried for a second there"

Sirius grinned, "I know, I saw"
Remus put his head in his hands and let out an exasperated sigh. "You did that on purpose, didn't you? You could have transformed back at any point"
Looking highly proud of himself, Sirius said "yep"

"So how does it feel Moony? That you won't be alone for the next full moon?" he smiled.

For the first time since he was four years old, Remus truly felt like he wasn't alone. He told them as much and they all moaned at him for being corny yet hugged him anyway.

"Moony" repeated James quietly, "I like that nickname. We should all have one"

Thanks for reading! If you're interested in the full process of becoming an animagus then I have written up the steps below! Take care when trying, I've heard it can have tough consequences (;

HOW TO BECOME AN ANIMAGUS:
1. Hold a mandrake leaf in your mouth for a month
2. Spit the leaf into a phial on a full moon
3. Add one of your hairs
4. Add a silver teaspoon of dew that had not seen sunlight or been touched by human feet for 7 days
5. Add the chrysalis of a deaths-head hawk moth
6. Hide crystal phial quiet place undisturbed until a lightning storm
7. In the meantime, chant "amato animo animato animagus" every sunrise and sundown while holding the tip of your wand over your heart
8. Retrieve phial during a lightning storm
9. Move to a secure place and drink
10. Person deals first pain and double heart beat
11. Imagine the animal and intend to transform