(JILY) MARAUDERS AND VALKYRIES : THE FALL OF SERPENT

1. FIFTH YEAR BEGINS

James Potter had always cherished his parents' abode, but his heart belonged to Hogwarts. Returning to the castle felt like coming back to his true home.

However, the year ahead posed three formidable challenges for him and his fellow Marauders. Firstly, they were in the final stages of mastering the animagus transformation, with the final month being the most critical. They had to successfully perform the Patronus charm before they could transform into animals. The first transformation was an intricate process that could go horribly wrong, so they had to tread carefully.

Secondly, James was struggling with the biggest challenge of his life: winning over the heart of Lily Evans. She had yet to agree to go out with him, and it seemed as if she despised him. However, James knew better - he was convinced that she secretly harboured feelings for him. Her emerald green eyes, vibrant red hair, infectious laugh, fiery temper, and freckles had captured his heart completely.

Lastly, it was O.W.Ls year, but that was James' least of concerns.

The start-of-term feast had just ended, and the Marauders were eager to cause mayhem. James looked to his left and gave a nod to his three friends. They quietly drew out their wands and concealed them under the table. All four muttered the spell in unison, and with a loud bang, four animal-shaped firecrackers (a lion, a badger, an eagle, and a snake) shot up into the air and started to fight. Eventually, only the lion remained, but even it slowly faded away with a mighty roar, leaving sparkles in its wake. The entire hall erupted with laughter and applause, except for Filch, who scowled with anger.

James turned to Lily, who was also laughing with her friends. Their eyes met, and James smiled at her. For a few seconds, she returned the smile before turning back to her friends. James' heart raced with excitement, but his friends dismissed his enthusiasm as imagination and continued eating.

The Marauders retired to their dormitory, but Remus stayed behind. He was a prefect this year, along with Lily, which meant James would have to wait until tomorrow to see her again. Once they reached their room, they planned to conjure their patronuses, but fatigue overtook them, and they fell asleep.

The next day, James' eyes immediately sought out Lily's signature red hair as they entered the Great Hall for breakfast. She was chatting with Professor McGonagall, who was distributing schedules to the Gryffindors. The Marauders sat at the opposite end of the hall and began their meal.

In the potions class, James noticed Lily sharing a table with a greasy-haired boy whom he despised - and, if he were honest with himself, was a little jealous of. He tried to focus on Professor Slughorn's lecture about O.W.Ls, but his mind kept drifting back to Lily.

When the day finally ended, the Marauders were eager to rest, but they had to practice the Patronus charm and master it within twenty days. "When was the last full moon?" asked Sirius. "Three days ago," Remus replied. "Perfect," said James. "By the next one, the potion will be ready, and we can transform into animagi. But we haven't conjured our patronuses yet!" cried Peter. "Don't worry, Pete. We will," assured Sirius.

James patted Peter's back and then cut off any objections from Remus, who was concerned about the risks they were taking. The group had already decided to proceed with their plans to become animagi, despite the danger and illegality. Remus decided to join in, reciting