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The Misadventures of Padfoot and Prongs

I Have a Sinking Suspicion You Are Lying to Me, Potter

As their Astronomy professor so duly noted, the Full Moon was once again upon them. Despite Remus' worried and worn expression, the remaining three Marauders were as excited as ever.

"Moony, are you going to eat with us before you have to deal with your... furry little problem?" James spoke in a low voice to his sick looking friend beside him at the table.

Remus' face paled more at the thought of consuming something in his already churning stomach. In fact, the plate that sat in front of him lay bare and clean from any of the food that was prepared for lunch.

"No, mate," he replied to James. "So Filch was hanging upside-down above the Great Hall this morning..."

James and Sirius shared mischievous grins which Peter tried to mimic, yet his eyes shifted around in nervousness.

"Di-did he say who hu-ung him up?" Peter asked, his voice slightly shaky.

Remus raised his eyebrow and James and Sirius kicked Peter under the table. "Actually, he couldn't remember what happened to him after dinner last night," Remus gave them a pointed look.

"Well, hopefully he'll figure it out soon," said James, smiling wide.

"Yes," Sirius chimed in, "I would like to know the genius or geniuses behind that prank."

Remus sighed and shook his head in defeat. There was no point in arguing with either Sirius or James, even if he knew it was their 'genius' minds that had plotted and executed this latest prank.

"Oh Remmy!" the shrill voice of Janet reached the Marauders' ears. "There you are schnookums!"

The boy groaned and placed his head in his hands. Honestly, he wasn't feeling up to dealing with his girlfriend at the moment.

James patted Remus on the back, "Don't look so glum, schnookums, the love of your life has now arrived, mate!" Suddenly, James felt a light slap to the back of his head. He turned around, ready to hex whoever caused the mild discomfort only to find Lily. "Oh, hello Lily."

"James be nice," even as the words left her mouth, Lily couldn't help but feel disgusted with her fellow female Gryffindor as she shoved her way to sit by Remus and started smothering him. "Anyways, I wanted to talk with you about Filch."

James tried, and failed, to hide his grin, "What about Filch, love?"

"Oh, I think you know exactly what I am talking about, Potter."

"Well, Remus told us he was hanging from that door this morning," James pointed out the setting. "But-"

"You were missing from the common room last night," Lily kind of reminded James of his mother with her hands on her hips looking down at him.

"I came back before curfew," was his simple reply. "Why would I have had anything to do with it when there would be so many witnesses? I'm not that daft."

Lily seem to consider this. She didn't have any proof it was them and there were no witnesses, so it must've been done after curfew (which she knew they weren't out then, as she spent most of her night studying for a test that Monday). Yet Lily couldn't shake the feeling that James and Sirius had something to do with it, even if they weren't out past curfew.

"I have a sinking suspicion you are lying to me, Potter," she said, her eyebrow raised. "But I guess I can't see how you would've done it. So I'm sorry for accusing you."

James smile faltered a bit, and he realized with a sinking feeling that he really didn't like lying to the redhead. However, if he threw himself under the bus, as the Muggles say, he may inadvertently throw his friends as well. Silently he promised to tell her every truth he had never told her when the day was right. Starting with this one, no matter how small it was.

"Well, Lils, how about you apologize a little better and join us for lunch," James concluded, patting the space next to him.

"Thank you for the invitation, James, but I am actually meeting a couple friends of mine in the library," Lily gave him a sweet smile. "Maybe I'll sit with you for dinner, if the offer still stands."

"It will!" James said eagerly. The girl smiled at him and bid farewell.

Once Lily left, Sirius decided to speak, "Well, Remmy, James, Peter and I have things to discuss. We'll be in the common room if you need us."

Several hours later, after James, Sirius and Peter had eaten dinner, they left the Great Hall and ventured to the fourth floor. They approached a sizable mirror and pulled it toward them, the reflective glass swinging forward as if on a hinge. The trio climbed through the hole and into the spacious tunnel. Following it until the end, they moved the large stone blocking the exit and made their way out of the passage.

As soon as they were out, the three of them transformed into their Animagi form; Peter went first and began shrinking smaller and smaller as his bones shifted and fur began to sprout all around his body. Soon he stood before him, not as a boy, but a rat. With one last look at the others, he scurried out, giving a loud squeak when he found that all was clear.

James stepped up next, and antlers sprang through his head as his body transformed and he took the form of a stag. He followed in Peter's steps, and ran out into the night air, snorting and pawing the ground, teasingly shaking his antlers at the rat before him.

Sirius smirked and ran and jumped out, changing midair. Instead of human feet, paws hit the ground as he landed with a soft thud. He shook out his black fur, then fell to the ground and rolled around on the soft grass. There truly were few things he enjoyed more than being in his dog form.

The trio hurried across the lawn until they reached the Whomping Willow. James and Sirius stayed behind while Peter scurried through the grass as fast as he could toward the knot at the base of the tree. When he reached it, he lifted onto his hind legs and pressed it with both of his tiny hands. The limbs of the tree froze, allowing Sirius and James to slip through the passage that lead to the Shrieking Shack.

Quickly they made their way through the earthen passage and up into the decayed-looking house. Once inside the worn walls, the three cautiously walked up to a whining wolf, scratching at his face.

To be noted, this wolf was slightly different looking than an average wolf you may have seen. For instance, this wolf had a tufted tail and a smaller snout, yet any Muggle who would happen to see this creature would probably not notice seemingly trivial differences. But the stag, the dog, and the rat were no Muggles.

The young Animagi knew that these were distinguishing features of something that wasn't really a wolf at all, but a werewolf.

And this werewolf wasn't just any werewolf; this was their best friend: Remus Lupin.
The werewolf looked up from his spot and felt a sort of delight to see three other animals before him. Quickly he stood and made his way to the burly black dog first, sniffing the air around him as the dog sat still with his head cocked to the side.

Next, he moved to the rat. It was a short exchange for the two as the rat seemed a little skittish and quickly moved to the dog's side.

Finally he approached the stag, whom lowered his head and stayed still for a minute. Once the werewolf stepped away, the stag snorted and began to explore a bit.

After a few moments, the four friends left the Shrieking Shack, and headed for the dense forest. Remus howled into the cold night air as they ran over the fallen leaves, finally free from their human reservations. Peter lagged behind, his tiny legs unable to carry him any great distance, while Remus, Sirius and James zigged and zagged between the tall trees.

Before his friends became Animagi, Remus feared and loathed his transformations. Now, although they were still painful and unwanted, he was able to keep his mind as he ran with his most trusted mates, knowing that if he went to attack someone, they would stop him. He finally didn't have to worry so much.

The boys felt adventurous that night and decided to run farther than they ever had from the Shack before. Soon, the familiar twisted branches of the trees passed them by and they found themselves in new territory. Remus found a rabbit which he immediately chased after and Sirius joined in. James took a moment to appreciate the sight of the full moon among the stars. Everything looked so clear, away from the Muggle industrialization. He only had a few minutes to ponder this before he heard a loud yelp that was unmistakably Sirius.

Ears perking up, James located the origin of the noise and bolted in that direction. Had Remus attacked Sirius? Whatever happened, he needed to get the them quickly. Hooves pounding against the forest floor, he raced toward his friends.

Whatever James had imagined, he wasn't prepared for what he saw. A monstrous-looking beast with a hump-back and greyish-purple skin was fighting Remus, one of its two lethal golden horns dripping with blood. James recognized it as a Graphorn. Remus was ferociously clawing the creature's face and snapping his jaws at it while it, in turn, tried to impale him with it's horns. Not taking the time to think, James ran at the two of them in a desperate attempt to drive the thing away before it could do more damage. He rammed into it with his antlers, though they were unable to penetrate the graphorn's thick skin.

Just when James thought they'd never be able to rid themselves of the giant, Remus ripped into one of the graphorn's eyes with his sharp claws. The graphorn gave a roar and pulled away from Remus, whipping it's head back and forth, before it ran off into the trees. The werewolf gave chase, following it at full speed.

In the following silence after the graphorn retreated, James was able to hear the whimpering of their friend. Searching the darkness, James saw Sirius, still in his dog form, curled in on himself, whining in pain. Blood shined on his black fur in the moonlight, but he wasn't able to distinguish where it was coming from.

Scared out of his mind, James transformed back into his human self and lifted the dog into his arms.

"Peter!" called James. A rat appeared at his feet, eyes glittering with fear. "We need to go back to Hogwarts, now! I'll carry Sirius, just get there as fast as you can."

Sirius in his Animagus form wasn't as heavy as he was in his human form, but carrying him was still not easy. James ran with him as fast as he could, adrenaline helping him along. He could see now that the bleeding was coming from his lower abdomen, so he tried to staunch the wound with his hand until they could reach the school.

It seemed like hours before James reached the Shrieking Shack. His lungs burned and his arms ached, but he needed to keep going. He refused to let Sirius die like this. Pushing himself further, he ran through the secret passage, Peter scurrying along at his heels. Peter went first through the opening, and pushed in the knot to immobilize the Whomping Willow's branches.

James carried Sirius over to where they had abandoned their clothes, laying him on the grass.
"Okay, mate, you've got to change back so we can get your clothes on and bring you up to the Hospital Wing," said James, as he pulled his pants hastily over his hips. Sirius gave a single, pitiful whine as he transformed. His skin was deathly pale from the blood loss, and he was sweating and shaking. A nasty-looking puncture wound was on the lower left side of his abdomen, blood all around it.

With James' help, they were able to get Sirius dressed. Thinking quickly, James cast a spell on the part of Sirius' shirt where the wound was so they wouldn't have to explain how his shirt was unharmed. Blood soaked through the white fibers immediately.

Peter helped Sirius stand up while James finished getting dressed, and then they went through the passage back into the castle as fast as possible. Once they climbed out of the back of the mirror, they rushed to the first floor. They were halfway to the Hospital Wing when Sirius passed out. Frantic to get him there in time, they each supported Sirius' dead weight and picked up their pace.

The doors to the Hospital Wing were just within reach when they burst open to see Madam Pomfrey.
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