No Voldemort - Marauders Survive

Chapter 16

The Marauders where sitting at the back if the HoM class. Binns was droning on about some goblin war or another. Orion scrunched up a piece of parchment and charmed it to hit Hermione Granger, who was sitting at the front, writing furiously, in the back of her head. Every time she turned around, the four boys would pretend to be writing along with the rest of the  class.

Soon enough they got bored of paper airplanes and scrunched parchment and started talking to one another.
"Our dads became animagi in fifth year, so we can beat them and do it in our first!" Harry said excitedly.
Teddy shook his head, "it's actually really dangerous, anything could happen. You might get stuck halfway, not be able to change back or even die if something really bad happens. We need to wait till we're older."
Harry and orion whined, "but Teddy that's the fun of it! Where's the fun when there's no danger?"
"Well it would take us at least a year before we could even try out our forms, it might work." Neville reasoned.
"Please Teddy!" The three of them asked, doing their best puppy-dog eyes. Teddy groaned and banged his head on the table, "How," BANG, "do," BANG, "you," BANG, "Always," BANG, "Manage," BANG, "to," BANG, "persuade," BANG, "me?"
The other three where in fits of laughter. Granger turned around from her seat and glared at them, "can you shut up? Some of us are trying to write here!"
Teddy ignored her and carried on, "but we all have to agree that my puppy-dog eyes beat all three of yours put together."
"Do not!" Came three replied.
"Do so!"
"Do not!"
"So!"
"Not!"
"So!"
"Not!"
"Not!"
"So! Wait, WHAT! Arggh!"
Teddy burst into laughter as the three other boys skulked.
"Not fair Teddy." Neville complained.
"Agreed." Harry and Orion said in unison. Teddy was saved to reply when the bell rang, signalling the end of class.

Much to everyones shock, the four boys whooped then ran out of class and straight to THE LIBRARY! Weasley turned to Granger and said, "their up to something. I can feel it."
"I must agree. Do they really not care about their education at all? They didn't even pay attention in class!" Granger replied in her know-it-all voice.
"I heard Black saying this morning that they needed to go to Zonko's to get stuff. And now their in the library." Weasley replied.
"Hmm definitely up to something." Granger agreed.

In the library the four boys where all going through the transfiguration part of the library. Neville picked up the first book he found and took it to the closest table.
"This book is huge!" He complained. Opening the front page, he started to flick through the pages.
"Acorns, Apples, Animagi. GOT IT!"
He was shushed by the librarian who glared at them all before walking off.
"You would think that if she didn't like her job, she would quit!" Harry stated.
The boys mumbled in agreement.

They all sat the most silent they had ever been as Neville read the book.

An Animagus (pl. Animagi) is a witch or wizard who can morph him or herself into an animal at will. It is a learned, rather than hereditary skill, unlike those of a Metamorphmagus.

It takes skill, practise, and patience for wizards and witches to become Animagi. The process of becoming an Animagus is long and arduous, and has the potential to backfire and cause the transformation to go horribly wrong. Many witches and wizards simply feel that their time might better be employed in other ways, as the skill is of limited practical use unless one has a great need of disguise or concealment.  Part of the process by which one becomes an Animagus is holding the leaf of a mandrake in their mouth for an entire month, using the leaf for the creation of a potion, and reciting an incantation (Amato Animo Animato Animagus) on a daily basis. Once the initial training is over, an Animagus can change at will, with or without a wand. Animagi who take on the form of species capable of flight can enjoy the sensation without the need of broomsticks, flying carpet, or riding on flying animals.

Animagi can only take on the form of one specific animal. This animal form is not chosen by the wizard, but determined by their personality and inner traits. It may also be that the full-bodied Patronus may reveal what a witch or wizard would turn into if they were an Animagus.
Apparently, the form the Patronus takes may be determined by the same inner-traits as the Animagus form. An Animagus in animal form is also not restrained by the lifespan limit of the creature that they otherwise transform into.
Each Animagus bears an identifying mark on their animal form that is caused by something on their human body. This may be a physical trait like dental structure, or an acquired trait such as glasses.
If an Animagus undergoes a major physical change, such as the loss of a limb, their animal form will also reflect that.

"That's easy, keep a leaf in your mouth for a month and say a spell. We could do that." Harry said.
Teddy scoffed, "without Mcgonagall finding out? Highly likely."
Neville turned around from the bookshelf where he was putting the book away, "come on Ted, we can do it in the Christmas holidays. All we do is say we want to stay here and explore and Boom! Our parents will let us."
Orion nodded eagerly, "just say we want to make our own version of the Marauders map!"
"Or," Teddy said, "we could tell them we needed to study more?"
The others looked at him like he was mad.
"Oh yes," Harry drawled, "and they would toootally believe us if we told them that."
Neville snorted, Orion howled and Teddy fell off his seat in laughter at Harrys perfect impression of Snape.

They hadn't had much time to laugh when they got the infamous glare from the librarian and bolted out the door.
"Oh goodness Harry, that was too good!" Orion laughed while Teddy was patting a chocking Neville on the back through fits of laughter. Harry smirked, "why I'll have to agree!"
They fell into fits of laughter once more and made their way back to the Gryffindor common room.

The youngest Weasley huffed from his hiding place behind a tapestry beside the library, "so blooming arrogant,"
The ever observant Granger frowned, "but why were they in the library? They must be up to something otherwise they wouldn't go there. Hmm... Zonkos, the library... I GOT IT! They must be planning a prank! But how they think they would get out the castle without getting caught is completely absurd."
Weasleys stomach growled and all talk of the Marauders was forgotten.