Chasing Lily Evans

Animagi

Lily was sitting idly at the Gryffindor table, prodding at her dinner, when James and Sirius entered the Hall, arguing profusely. "I'm telling you, that's what it means!" James said to Sirius, who shook his head. "He would've told us."
"Maybe he was ashamed."
"No, he wouldn't..."
Lily heard snippets of conversation and as she turned her head to get a better view, the boys abruptly stopped. Sirius glanced at James and cleared his throat, walking pointedly towards the Ravenclaw table.
As James smiled at her, Lily's face creased into a slight frown. "All right, Evans?" he asked in a silky voice, running a hand through his already messy hair.
Her frown deepened as she struggled to understand his intentions. "I was, before you came along," she said, smiling bitterly. James grinned, "Ah, the witty bickering. How very like us, don't you think?"
"You're stupider than you look if you think there is, or ever will be, an 'us'."
"Oh, don't get so huffy, Evans, I only ever meant it as friends."
"Well, we can never be friends either."
"Don't worry, I don't intend us to be."
Lily let out an explosive noise and abandoned her dinner, walking away from his smug little smirk.
***
"Put you in your place, has she?" Sirius chuckled as James told him about their recent conversation. "Oh, she's just fun that way," James laughed, "Just as well; Hogwarts was getting a bit boring. I needed entertainment."
Sirius laughed alongside him, unaware that a certain Slytherin was passing by just within hearing range.
***
"Hey, Lily!"
Lily turned around and smiled, which caused the greasy haired boy to turn tomato-red. "Yes, Severus?" She said, walking up to him.
"I- I uh, overheard Potter talking to Black, and..." he gulped as Lily's eyes bore into his subconscious, turning stony as he mentioned Potter's name. "I think you should stay away from him," he finished lamely.
Lily raised an eyebrow, "Why would I have any reason to do the opposite?" she stated coolly, "I don't particularly enjoy his company..."
Forgetting the news he had come to deliver, Severus grinned ear-to-ear as he heard her plainly say that she absolutely detested Potter and wanted nothing to do with him. Well, not in those words exactly...
***
"Hey, Peter," Sirius greeted the plump little boy in the dormitory by ruffling his wispy hair. "What's up, S-Sirius?" he said, trying to flatten his hair again.
"Listen, James and I think something fishy is going on with Remus, and we have a theory..."
Peter's eyes popped with delight at being included in such gossip and plotting. "Yes?" He prompted eagerly in a hushed voice, thanking his lucky stars for not being left out of the thick of things for once.
"You can't tell anyone," Sirius frowned, "This is serious, OK?"
"OK," Peter agreed, trying his hardest to not look like Christmas had come early.
"Well, ever since Mr and Mrs Potter were informed about the, er, fight," Sirius said guiltily, "They've been on his case to study more and complete work early. Since James loved Defence Against the Dark Arts, he finished the entire textbook to impress them, when he came upon the part about werewolves.
"Remus disappears once a month, every month, and comes back looking pale and weak. Remember, he wouldn't tell us how he got those scratches on his arm? Well, James researched a bit more from some books in the restricted section and he deduced that he's a-a werewolf." 

"What?" Peter said, a million questions threatening to burst. "How did he-- Remus would-- James was in the library?" Sirius sighed, "Look, Remus is probably scared we'll turn our noses up like snobs and refuse to speak with him. So, we've got to let him know that we're OK." Peter looked as if he were anything but OK with the fact that his best friend turned into a killing machine every month, but out of fear, he nodded. He didn't want to be kicked out of the group he had always strived to be a part of. 

***

"Did you tell him?" James asked Sirius quietly, who nodded curtly. "Good, because I had an idea."

After three years of camaraderie with James Potter, Peter had learnt to recognise the mischievous glint in his eyes that always meant he had a plan and, nine times out of ten, one that would get them into trouble. Though he didn't particularly like Professor McGonagall's disapproving glare when it was directed at him, the thrill of rule-breaking and acknowledgement of the fact that he was one of the coolest people in Hogwarts, made up wonderfully for it. 

"Y'know how McGonagall can turn into a cat?" James said, waiting for them to catch on. Sirius slowly understood and punched him in the arm playfully. "I think I understand what you're up to, but please, do go on." 

"Well, we're learning about Animagi in Transfiguration, and I thought--" 

"Since when do you pay attention in Transfiguration?" Sirius asked, banging him upside the head. "Since McGonagall told me off at the beginning of the semester and suggested that I pay attention this year, or else," James rolled his eyes. "But that's not the point. Look, he turns into a werewolf, right? So he's probably holed up somewhere, alone, so he wouldn't hurt anyone. That's why there hasn't been news of attacks or anything in Hogsmeade."

 "Isn't that just typical of our dear saint Remus" Sirius said fondly.

"Sirius, listen. So, I thought, if we were something he couldn't harm in his werewolf state, something that can keep him in check--"

"Animagi," Sirius finished with a flourish, earning a jab from James. "Oi, what was that for?" Sirius said, rubbing his stomach painfully, wincing. "Let me finish," James said, annoyed. 

"I've been reading up, and werewolves are like wolves, mentally, barely conscious of their surroundings. So, they can probably understand Animagi. If we turn into animals--" 

"We'd be able to be with him while he's transforming," Sirius pondered, thoughtfully. "So, Peter, what d'you think?" James asked eagerly. "Erm--" His beady eyes swung from a pair of black ones to the warm brown ones. "I- I guess we can." he agreed, still having some reservations about the extremely reckless plan. "Didn't McGonagall say it was really dangerous and that it could go horribly wrong?" 

"We're smart enough," James said defensively, "And besides, this way Remus would know we're all right with his-- ah, situation." "We're going to have to do this without his help, then, mate," Sirius told him matter-of-factly. "Think we could?" James smiled evilly, "I think we need a couple of trips to the restricted section of the library under the good, ol' cloak."