It was the first day after Christmas break and the students were back in the castle, enjoying the warmth inside the Great Hall on that cold snowy day.

     That year, James had wrote a letter to their parents, asking if he could stay the holiday at Hogwarts with his friends. He missed his sister and wasn't too thrilled that he was skipping the Potters' Christmas Ball that year, but their potion needed attending to.

     The four boys had spent most of their break in the abandoned bathroom, but despite how that sounds, it was the best Christmas of their lives; laughing and joking around, snowball fights in the day, exploring the castle at nights, coming up with new prank idea while having snacks in the kitchen way after midnight.

      "Only a few months to go," James whispered on the first morning of classes. The castle felt weird being so full again. "Any guesses what animals we would be?" 

     "I haven't been able to stop thinking about it," said Sirius. "A black panther would be pretty cool."

"I have a feeling mine's gonna be a lion," James said with an arrogant grin.

"How about you, Peter?" Remus asked him.

"I haven't given it much thought," Peter sais doubtfully. "Not even sure if it will work for me."

"Rubbish! Why wouldn't it?" James shrugged. "We've done every single step of the way right. This is happening. For all of us. We'll help you out. Don't worry."

      "Well, then... I guess some sorta bird wouldn't be so bad," said Peter, smiling nervously.

     "Atta boy!" James raised his goblet at him, laughing.

***

"You okay, Jen?" Lily whispered to her friend as they were sitting in History of Magic together, waiting for the Professor to arrive.

     It was near the end of spring, with their final exams only a week away.

     Jenna nodded. "Yeah. Why?"

     "You seem a little distracted today, that's all. Something wrong?"

Jenna looked away from her, blushing. "W-well..."

Lily giggled. "Who's the guy?"

Jenna laughed, nudging her teasingly. "How'd you know it's about a guy?"

"My love radar might not be as good as Alice, but I still know that look. Am I wrong?"

"You — no, you're not." Jenna laughed nervously. "It's... it's Remus," she whispered.

At the mention of the name, Lily's eyes widened and so did her smile. "Really? Tell me everything!"

"I don't know exactly why, but... I don't know... throughout the last year I kept noticing how kind Remus is, and how considerate and kind-hearted he always is. But I had never seen him like that. Until the night of Halloween."

"Oh, there's specific date for it, then."

"Yeah... I mean, I just saw him in a different light that night."

"How come?"

"He seemed different. He was just as kind and gentle as ever, but it felt different. And then he did this thing... he... just the way he looked at me. The way he put my hair behind my ear and told me how much he loved it and he told me I looked crazy and that he liked that about it too. It was funny and gentle all at the same time." Jenna chuckled lightly at the memory. "Ever since that night, I can't stop myself from thinking about it."

"Wow." Lily smiled. "I never imagined Remus being so bold and honest with how he feels. I didn't even know he fancied you."

Jenna looked up at her again. "You really think he does?"

"Well, considering what you just said, then yes. To me, that sounds like a boy in love."

Jenna laughed, nudging her. "Okay, now don't get over your head. The most it could be is a little crush."

"What are you two babbling about?" Marlene asked nosily, turning to look back at them from her desk in front of them. Next to her, Alice was sitting, doodling in her book.

"You can tell Alice and Marlene, too, if you want. See what they think about it," Lily suggested.

"Yeah, I meant to tell them, too." Jenna nodded. Alice had turned her head as well, her curiosity caught. "I think I have a crush on Remus."

"What!? Really!?" Alice said excitedly, clapping her hands together.

"Well done, Potter." Marlene grinned. "I see you're collecting your brother's best friends like trophies."

"Oh, shut up." Jenna laughed, then beginning to tell the whole story all over to her two other friends.

"Well? What do you guys think?" Jenna asked them.

"I say go for it." Marlene shrugged. "You're pretty. You can have any guy you want. Remus would be as dumb as a Flobberworm if he doesn't like you back."

     "Thanks, Mar," Jenna said sarcastically and laughed, before turning to face Alice. "What do you think, Al?"

     "Well..." Alice began to say hesitantly, "what about Sirius?"

     Jenna frowned, not expecting this as an answer. "What about Sirius?"

     "Remus is an amazing boy, don't get me wrong. And from what you told us that happened on Halloween in the common room, it sounds like he really really likes you. But... I thought you liked Sirius."

     "That was two years ago, Al. I don't give a damn about him anymore. Because he showed me that he didn't give a damn about me either."

     "But he —" Alice was trying to say, but her words were cut short when Professor Binns floated through the chalkboard and entered the classroom.

***

"Wake up! Wake up! It's happening!"

Sirius woke up with a start as someone began shaking him. He groaned, eyes barely open. "Piss off, James."

"Don't you get it? It's happening! It's time!"

"Why? Are you giving birth or something? AARGH!" Sirius was trying to joke around but was pushed off the bed, landing the on the floor with a loud thud. "What the bloody hell is wrong with you, Potter?"

"Look outside the window, will you?" said James sternly, walking toward Peter's bed to wake him up as well. Remus had already woken by all the noise, being a light sleeper.

Angrily, Sirius first looked at the clock on his night stand, seeing that it was 3 a.m., but as soon as he looked outside the dorm's window, his eyes widened in realization. The weather outside was stormy, thunders roaring and lightenings flashing against the sky one after another.

"It's time!" Sirius said with a rush of adrenaline filling him up, jumping to his feet.

"What's goin' on?" Peter yawn sleepily, being forced to get off his bed by James.

"Tonight's the night, Pete," said James.

He looked even more confused now. "What night?"

"There are lightenings in the sky," Remus tried to explain to him. "It's just like the book had instructed; this is the night you guys can finally transform."

     Peter turned even paler than before, all color draining from his face in horror.

     Remus wanted to change out of his pajamas, but James dragged them all abruptly out of the dormitory, afraid that they would take too long and the storm would end. So, still in their pajamas, the four Gryffindor boys took the potions they had hidden and left the castle as the night grew into a much darker shade. The potion had turned blood-red; they had done everything correctly.

      They ran through the pouring rain toward the Dark Forest, their whole bodies soaking wet. They all gathered in a circle and drank the potion to the last drop it was instructed in the book.

     "No what?" Peter asked, grimacing in disgust at the horrible taste of the drink.

      "Now, it's time for the spell we've been practicing these past few weeks," said James, taking out his wand. "You remember it, Peter?"

     "Uh-huh." Peter nodded weakly, his hand slightly shaking.

      "This is the last chance to back out," said Remus, watching his friends fearfully.

      "There's no going back," said Sirius, his grin never wavering away.

      Remus gulped, taking a few steps away from them, looking up at the sky. "Okay... go for it."

      Taking a few deep breaths, Peter, Sirius, and James closed theirs eyes and placed the tip of their wands over their hearts, chanting in low whispers together, "Amato Animo Animato Animagus... Amato Animo Animato Animagus..."

      "Any moment now," Remus muttered to himself, his heart hammering against his chest as he watched the sky, awaiting the next thunder.

      And then, barely after his words left his mouth, the lightning flashed against the grey sky, the sound of a raging thunder following it right behind. Remus's eyes widened in horror as the next moment he saw the pained look on his friends' faces, the wands falling from their hands.

     "Are — are you okay?" Remus asked them as the rain kept pouring, but none of them answered. They looked like they were finding it hard to breathe.

     James fell to his knees, placing a hand over his chest. He could feel his heart beating — but that wasn't all. Something was different. There were two heartbeats now.

      The harsh wind blew by, but it seemed like a tornado was forming around the four of them now, the magic taking place.

      Peter had begun shrinking down, his teeth growing larger. Sirius had fallen to the muddy ground, his hands turning into large paws. James was growing bigger and bigger by the second.

     And then, as Remus watched the scene in horror, he saw that where his three friends were moments ago, now stood a rat, a dog, and a stag.