Mischief Managed

7: Animagi

Our friendship was the best thing that ever happened to me...because with friendship, unlike family and unlike romance, you don't feel these huge pressures. You don't feel the pressure to force the relationship to work because that person will have to be around you for the rest of your life. With friendship, you can relax; if that person is meant to be around, they will be. You always were.

❋ ❋ ❋ ❋

"Is it ready?" Peter asked, leaning cautiously over a bubbling cauldron.

"I think so," James replied. He looked up from the cauldron at Peter, Sirius, Remus, and I and inhaled shakily. All of five us were crammed the cozy Honeydukes passageway.

Remus, who had his legs tightly crossed and a very anxious expression on his face, said, "Please don't do this, it's so stupid, you could die!"

I was crouched next him with my legs folded uncomfortably above the floor. As I peered into the ominous scarlet-colored potion boiling in the pewter cauldron, my palms began to sweat.

"Remus," I said, "Please shut up. We're all decided on this, and your terrifying reminders are not helping."

Remus pursed his lips but didn't speak.

"Who's going first?" James asked. The bridge of his nose was beginning to flood with sweat, his glasses slowly slipping off, but he spoke firmly and pushed his glasses back up his nose.

We were silent for a moment. I was terrified. If something went wrong with the potion and Transfiguration, our entire lives could be ruined. I took a shaky breath, and opened my mouth to volunteer.

Before I could speak, however, Sirius stood up.

"I'll do it."

"Padfoot, y-you sure?"

"Yes," Sirius responded firmly, "Someone's got to go first."

"A-Alright, Sirius, remember the Transfiguration spell 'subeo commentatus', which you'll say only after you- "

"Take the potion, I know, Bree."

"And-d r-remember the trickiest part is filling your mind, thinking- "

"Of everything I've ever done and every part of who I am. We've practiced this dozens of times," Sirius said, forcing a smile, "I know it'll work."

James seemed to be getting increasingly nervous. His forehead was dripping in sweat, and his voice cracked slightly when he said to Sirius, "N-Now or never, mate."

Sirius knelt next to the cauldron. He grabbed one of four cups we'd brought down and carefully filled it with the blood-red potion. As he slowly brought it to his lips, I wanted to snatch it from him, scream at him to stop, or just do something- anything to stop him.

But I didn't. Remus and Peter covered their faces as Sirius drained his cup then slipped out his wand. James and I watched his every move with widened, hawk-like eyes.

Sirius closed his eyes, creased his forehead and flicked his wrist, murmuring, "Subeo commentatus."

I shrieked at what happened next. James clapped his hand over my mouth.

Sirius' head had started shrinking, as were his limbs and torso, and dark black fur began sprouting across his back. His fingers shrunk into thin, furry nails. His nose widened into a long snout, his oval eyes widened into wolf-like circles.

James and I sat transfixed and horrified. James' entire body had started to shake, and I fought to keep my hands still.

After what had felt like a millennium, Sirius' body had stopped morphing. In front of me was no longer a teenage boy, but a large, shaggy dog. His fur was black and curly, and I reached a tentative hand out to pet him.