𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐲 / James Potter x Reader

Ch20 ★ True That I

chapter song:
Would That I - Hozier

The morning dawned crisp and clear over the Potter mansion, a faint hint of anticipation hanging in the air as Euphemia and Fleamont Potter departed for some last-minute Christmas shopping on Christmas Eve. With the house temporarily to themselves, the Marauders seized the opportunity they had been eagerly awaiting: to brew and take their animagus potions as thunder and lightning thrashed outside.

In James's spacious room, the five friends gathered around a makeshift brewing station. Cauldrons bubbled and steamed with the carefully prepared potion, emitting a faint, earthy aroma. Remus stood at the ready, his amber eyes watchful as he supervised the final steps of the transformation process.

"All right, lads," Remus announced, his voice tinged with excitement. "It's time to take your forms."

James, with a mixture of nerves and anticipation, stepped forward first. He hesitated only briefly before downing his potion in one gulp. Almost immediately, his body began to ripple and shift, his features elongating into the elegant form of a stag. The room seemed to expand as he grew taller, his head crowned with a magnificent set of antlers.

Sirius followed suit, his swagger evident even in the moments before transformation. He tossed back his own potion with a flourish, his body transforming swiftly into a large, sleek black dog. He bounded around the room, wagging his tail with unrestrained delight. He ended up throwing himself onto Remus' lap.

Peter, always more cautious, sipped his potion tentatively. His form shrank and shifted until he resembled a small, scurrying rat. He twitched his whiskers nervously, eyes darting around the room in fascination.

Finally, y/n took her turn, gulping down the potion and feeling the change wash over her. Her body morphed into that of a raccoon, her dexterous paws and masked face reflecting her curiosity and agility. She couldn't help but chitter softly in surprise at the sensation.

In their animal forms, they explored the room, testing out their newfound abilities. James pranced elegantly around the room, his hooves clopping lightly on the floor. He glanced over at Sirius, who was circling around him, barking playfully.

James challenged Sirius to chase him, seemingly the group could communicate through animal noises, leaping over a low table and dashing towards the window.

Sirius bounded after him, his powerful legs propelling him forward. "You're too fast, Prongs!" Sirius yelled out, his bark filled with exhilaration as he chased James around the room.

Meanwhile, Peter scurried under the bed, delighting in the small spaces he could now navigate with ease. He popped his head out from under the bedskirt, eyes glittering with mischief as he watched y/n clamber up onto the shelves, her nimble fingers grasping at the trinkets scattered there.

Y/n chattered happily, her raccoon form proving surprisingly adept at climbing. She balanced on a stack of books, her masked face peering down at Peter. "Come on, Pete, you can't hide forever!" she teased, her tail twitching with excitement.

Peter squeaked in response, darting out from under the bed and scampering across the room. He climbed up onto a dresser, looking down at the others with wide eyes.

James, now by the window, surveyed the garden beyond. Plenty of time must have passed already, the storm had turned into fits of snow falling from the sky. His keen senses picked up the subtle scents of winter and earth. "Let's head outside!" he suggested, his voice filled with the thrill of exploration."

Remus followed the four around, watching in amazement as they communicated in a way he couldn't understand. Y/n told him that this was a possibility, and that he'd be able to understand them when he's a werewolf if the case stands.

Sirius, ears perked up, bounded towards the window. "Race you there!" he called back to James, his tail wagging eagerly.

The four animals rushed outside into the crisp winter air, their spirits buoyant with the freedom of their new forms. James led the way, his stag form gracefully leaping over flower beds and dodging between trees. Sirius raced alongside him, his black fur gleaming in the sunlight as he veered off to chase a squirrel up a tree.

Y/n and Peter explored the garden at a more leisurely pace. Y/n sniffed at flowers and rolled in the freshly fallen snow, her raccoon curiosity piqued by every new sensation. Peter scampered after her, occasionally darting into bushes to investigate rustling sounds.

As they played, their animal instincts took over, weaving around each other under winter sky. They frolicked in the snow, chased each other through the garden, and tested the limits of their agility and speed.

James charged after y/n, admiring her pattern. He chased her around till she swiftly got onto his back, staying that way for some time as James chased the others.

Hours passed like minutes in their animal forms, the afternoon sun beginning to dip towards the horizon. James, panting lightly from exertion, slowed to a halt near a pond, his antlers held high.

"We should probably turn back soon," James suggested, shaking snow from his coat. "Remus is probably feeling plenty left out."

Remus had sat comfortably on the back porch with his book and hot cocoa, happy to see his friends so joyous.

Sirius trotted over, his tongue lolling out in a doggy grin. "Aw, but we're having so much fun!" he protested, nudging James playfully with his nose.

Y/n and Peter joined them by the pond, showing signs of fatigue. Y/n blinked up at the sky, her raccoon eyes reflecting the fading sunlight. "It's been amazing," she admitted, her voice a soft chitter. "But I think I'm ready to be human again."

Peter nodded in agreement, his rat form twitching. "Me too. Plus, I'm hungry," he confessed, eyeing the snow-covered garden with longing.

With reluctant sighs, they retreated back to James's room. Remus, waiting patiently, watched as they transfigured back to their human forms. They sat in a circle, laughing and recounting their adventures as they returned to their natural states.

"We need names for our forms," Sirius declared, rubbing his hands together eagerly. "Something that suits our newfound identities."

"Oh you definitely need to be Fluffy, Sirius!" Y/n teased him with a smirk.

"No way, or else I'll call you Grubby Paws!" Sirius shot back.

Remus nodded thoughtfully. "Since I'm Moony, how about Padfoot for Sirius? Because of his padded dog paws," he suggested.

Sirius grinned broadly. "I like it! Padfoot it is."

Peter frowned in thought. "What about me?"

"Oh you're definitely Wormtail, because of the worm like tail," Sirius asserted. "Plus, it just fits you."

James nodded in agreement. "Wormtail suits you."

Peter, considering their forms, chimed in, "For James, how about Antlers?" He suggested playfully, referencing his majestic stag antlers.

James chuckled, shaking his head. "I think we can do better than that. What about Stag?"

Y/n scoffed. "No way, Stag is boring, that's just the animal you are! You need to be Prongs."

James gazed at her, liking the suggestion. "Prongs sounds perfect. I love it."

Sirius, looking at y/n thoughtfully, suggested, "How about Mask for y/n? You know, because of the mask-like markings."

"Nah, she needs something cuter, like Bandit." James smirked at the girl.

Y/n laughed. "Bandit? I actually like it!"

With their animal names settled, they spent the rest of the afternoon and evening practicing their transformations and exploring the capabilities of their animal forms.

As the sun began to dip below the horizon, they reluctantly returned to their human forms, knowing Euphemia and Fleamont would be home very soon. They headed downstairs to the Christmas Tree in the living room where they would soon continue the Potter tradition and open up one gift that would contain matching pajamas.