Up To No Good

Chapter Eleven

James's vial lay tucked away at the bottom of his trunk, undisturbed. Their next task, now, was to wait for the electrical storm when they would be able, if everything went well, to transform for the first time. He woke up much earlier than usual as the sun rose, gripping his wand in his hand, and pointing it at his heart.

"Amato Animo Animato Animagus." His voice trembled slightly as he spoke, and he took a deep breath. As he exhaled he felt his whole body shake. I can't let fear get the best of me, James thought. I want this.

He repeated the incantation again, this time with Sirius and Peter. They were in the common room, which was empty due to how early it was.

"Feel any different?" Remus asked. He was stretched out on one of the couches, watching them point their wands.

James bit his lip. "Not yet," he responded truthfully. "That will come during the storm."

"If you've done it right," Sirius reminded him.

"Well, how does it feel for you, Moony?" James asked. It occurred to him that he hadn't asked that before, and he felt a sharp sense of guilt poke at his gut.

"Painful," Remus responded as he looked at the ceiling. "Now, on that cheerful note, how long do you need to go on like this before you're Animagi?"

"The next electrical storm," the other three Gryffindors answered in near-perfect unison.

Remus chuckled. "I'm coming with you when you transform, right?"

"No question about it," Sirius agreed. "I mean, this is you we're doing it for, Moony."

"For your furry little problem," James added with a flourish of his hand.

The four Marauders burst into laughter, ("Way to be subtle" Peter said) and Remus went on, "I hope that storm comes soon. I want to see how it works." He winked good-naturedly, "I wonder if you can use a wand as an animal."

"So we can jinx Snivellus as an ape?" James sniggered. "That'd be fun, imagine the teachers..."

"So you can jinx him, James," Sirius reminded him, pointing his wand jokingly at him.

The days crept by slow as ever, and every morning James found himself throwing open the curtains hoping desperately to find dark clouds in the sky. That week they decided to go to Hogsmeade, and they handed their permission forms to Filch, the new caretaker, as they strolled up to the village. There was still a thin layer of snow covering the tops of each building, and they bundled up in their scarlet and gold Gryffindor scarves while they took in the sights.

"There," Remus pointed.

One top of a knoll, across from a bridge, was a broken-down looking house. The roof looked dangerously close to caving in, and there were boards all over the windows.

"That's where I go," he said under his breath.

"You come all the way to Hogsmeade?" James asked him in disbelief.

"No no--there's a secret passage," Remus explained, checking around him to make sure there was no one coming to pass them. "Under the Whomping Willow."

"I wonder if there's a map somewhere that shows all the secret passages in and out of Hogwarts," Sirius mused, looking at the house Remus had pointed to which was really little more than a shack.

"I almost bet that we could do that," James piped up.

They went back to Hogwarts with armfuls of Honeyduke's Candy and plenty of items from the joke shop. Just outside the common room, they set off several fireworks so several students had to wait before entering. The sky was still clear as it had ever been before. They took turns eating Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, and they laughed as Peter ate a small brown one that ended up to be sawdust.