Harry walked out of his personal bathroom and into his bedroom. The hot shower had revived him after the workout he had this morning. Harry quickly got dressed. If he didn't hurry, he would be late for his first class. He was glad that he brought his special trunk. It always was nice to have his own apartment. Longbottom commented on why a supposed Noble Lord would carry around such a ratty looking old trunk. Idiot If he only knew.

While he had endure the inharmonious snoring of his dorm mates, Harry was in his own room with all the comforts that came with it. It was a massive apartment, with it's fully functional muggle technology. Padfoot and him figured out how to bypass the little problem of magic mucking it up. Plus the added affect that, he could use it as an exit point to come and go from Hogwarts without the old coot finding out.

The one thing that they learned, all those years on the run, was how to hide in plain sight. The trunk looked ratty for a reason. The more undesirable it looked, the more it was left alone. He told the pompous ass that it had sentimental value to him. They all seemed to buy it. Well, he didn't know about the one they called Ron. He hadn't met him yet. He didn't sleep in the room last night. According to Dean, he was with a girl that they all called The Lungs.

His trunk was warded, to keep out unwanted visitors. It would become his base of operations while he was here. Or as he christened it The Marauders Den. In the months to come he would slowly recruit students into the Marauders. It was the main reason he wanted to spend time in all the houses. This school needed to be united and it sure as hell wasn't going to happen while Dumbledore was running the show. The man was too set in the old ways.

The next generation of Marauders would walk the school again. Unlike his fathers crew, his would be larger in number and would hold to the ideas of all four of the founder's of Hogwarts, not just one. They would not only learn how to fight, but to out think, out maneuver and out class their enemies in every way. He would have his fighters, healers, spy's, and politicians. They wouldn't just fight in just the battlefields, but in all the arena's. The last time the war ended, nothing changed and that led to the war that they are in now. Things needed to change and change they will.

In the last sixteen years, his mum and godfather had made alliances and earned the favor of both light and dark Witches and Wizards in every country. They could be called apon at a moments notice. They however, were Sirius's and his mum's Marauders. Though he was a member and loved them all dearly, he wanted something of his own. Ever since that night he followed Tonks, his eyes were truly opened that night. It wasn't just about avenging his dad anymore. Innocents were being victimized simply because no one was prepared to get their hands bloody.

Blood...blood, just the thought of it brought back so many memories. She had lost so much blood. It was everywhere. The alter...the grounds...on Tonks...that bitch...his fur, he couldn't get the smell of it out of his fur. Even now he couldn't remember what her natural scent was. Her blood overpowered it. It would be the only way that he could truly identify her.

I jumped into Tonks shadow the moment she turned her back. Did she really thing that I would let her go alone? I could smell the fear on her. She didn't think she was coming back. She accepted that and still she went. It was one of the things that made Nimpy so hard to get over.

It was so damn easy to fall in love with her. It had nothing to do with that killer bod of hers. That didn't hurt though. No, she was selfless, caring, and totally understanding when a scrawny kid with glasses and acne follows her around like a puppy. Apparently, according to my godfather, I drooled a lot more than one. Okay, maybe she took a little too much pleasure in making me blush like a tomato. It toughened me up. I suppose I'll always want her on some level, but I'll deal with it. I guess that was why Padfoot dragged me to the Succubus Colony. A week there will certainly clear up your completion, as well as you attitude towards unrequited love.

Now, one of the benefits of being a animagus is that you gain some of the traits of your form. In my case it was speed, agility, a heightened sense's and the fact that I never need to wear those ugly glasses ever again. I don't care if my mom thinks it makes me look distinguished...they're freekin ugly. The best birth control an the freekin planet, I shit you not.

I still can't believe that my Animagus form is a Shadow Panther. A magical freekin creature. Shadow teleportation is so wicked. Not that I'm bragging...okay I'm totally bragging.

Now, a few thing can happen when your mom go off and helps out a sick friend and leaves you alone with your godfather. One is that she's not around to tell you to eat properly. Two, to make sure you go to sleep at a decent hour and Three, to never, never, never, under any circumstances listen to Padfoot when he says that he's got a brilliant idea.

"Hey pup I got a brilliant idea." What did I tell you. "Since your mum's gone." That should have been my first warning. "Why don't you stay in you panther form for a month to truly become one with the creature?" Now that sounds simple enough when he says it like that. He left the part out about him going off and sniffing some butts, breaking some hearts and going to run with uncle Moony the next full moon. He might have mentioned something about convincing him to pull his head out his arse. I'm not really sure.

Now, what happens when a sixteen year old that is in the form of a shadow panther does when he's not properly supervised? Pay attention class, this is were it gets interesting. He learns that he has a hybrid form of a shadow panther. It's kind of like a werewolf, but I can do some wandless magic. I'm not really sure how that's works yet. I'm not about to look a gift horse in the mouth. I'm sure my mom will figure it out, she's good at that kind of stuff. That it...after she's done freaking out, or gets tired of hexing Padfoots bits.

I never really tested the limits of what each form could do before. Tonight, I put them to the test. I waited until Tonks breaches the wards around the old Manor before I jump out of her shadow. I was so quiet that she didn't even knew I was there. She has this intense look on her face as she surveyed the grounds and planed out how she's going to get in and out.

I'm picking up a lot of scents in there. If she's discovered, it will be a running fight to get out. I half expected the scents to be evil in nature. That would have made this easy. There would be no moral compromise in taking them out permanently then. Don't get me wrong, they were foul... just not evil. They were still someones brother or sister, someones son or daughter. Did I have the right to end that just because they were on the other side?

How many times did I hear his mom and Padfoot debate that point till all hours of the night. It always ended the same. Sirius would tell her to ask James that question. She would hex his bits then go in her room and cry. When he could stand upright again, I'd kick him in the boys because he made her cry. It really is a wonder that they work at all. Anyway, the next day they would apologize and forgive each other. It was a weird cycle, but I got the message clear enough. It wasn't about right or wrong, it was about live or die. Morality had no business on the battlefield.

Tonks heart was beating really fast and I smelled her fear. I knew she would push it aside and do what was needed. It was in her nature. I'm standing beside her and she still hasn't shown any signs that she knows I'm there. She's knelled down beside a bush so she wouldn't be seen. I lick her face so she knows I'm here. She damn near jumps out of her skin when I do. Any other time I would laugh at that. But right now, being quiet was a matter of life and death.

"What the bloody hell are you doing here?" She hissed as soon as she recovered her composure. I swatted her butt with my tail and hope understands.

"The hell you are." I nod my head at her and she narrows her eyes to a thin slit.

"No your not." I show her my fangs

"Don't you take that tone with me." I pounce on her and growl. Only my mom gets away with that. I have her arms pinned under my paws. I love being a panther.

"Okay, so maybe you can take that tone with me." I like her cheek.

"That's really gross by the way." That earned her another lick. I'll probably pay for that at sometime, but what the hell, it was fun.

"All right, all right, all right. You can come with me." I get off her and prance around. She shakes her head and rolls her eyes.

"Just remember, if your mum kills me. I'm gonna come back and haunt you." She said pointing her wand at me. I give her another nod and she rolls her eyes again.

"Okay, as far as I can see there are at least ten guards patrolling the grounds. I need them on the other side of the Manor, when we make are way out. If were not here in twenty minutes, get your arse on the other side of those wards. Don't give me that look. You follow my orders." She stares me down till I nod. I think mom taught her how to do that. It's really creepy.

"Give me five minutes to get inside. I'll probably be looking like my insane aunt coming out, so don't bite me." I give her a good sniff to lock in her scent. I really didn't need to. I just like messing with her.

"In five minutes, I'm gonna need a big distraction. A big one. Well, I guess this is it. Thank you for following me. If we live through this I just might give you that shag." My jaw drops. She turns into a fox and winks at me, before she runs off. Freekin Tease.

This was it, my first real mission. Me and Padfoot had gone hunting plenty of times, but this was different. I've been wanting for this for so long. So why do I feel scared all of a sudden? What if I screw this up and get Tonks killed? My hearts beating twice as fast as hers was just moments ago. Yet there is anticipation of whats to come. These were the bastards that took my father from me. Did I have it in me to do what must be done? Oh well, only one way to find out.

It takes me an all of thirty seconds to make it to my first target. I was so quiet that I'm standing right behind him and he doesn't have a clue I'm there. I'm hesitating. Why am I hesitating? It was then that he turned. He was only a few years older than me. We look at each other for a second before instinct kicks in. He points his wand and I pounce.

I put my full weight on his chest and hear it crack. He tries to scream but nothing comes out. I see the fear in his eyes. He knows it over...we both do. But did I have the right? Then I remember the last time I saw my father. One eye swollen shut, half his head covered in blood, holding his guts in one hand as he pushes my mom into my crib and turns it into a portkey, just as the killing curse hits him in the back.

FUCK THEM! Mercy was something I wouldn't show them tonight and I vowed to never hesitate again. My claws rip open his jugular and I move on to the next. The full moon shines down on the grounds. There are plenty of shadows and I make full use of them. By the time I have to make the distraction five more are dead.

I see Tonks by a door, in the shadows. I roar as loud as I can, and wait for them. A minute later the door burst open and bootlickers come out of the woodwork. A woman in black with the most foul scent I have ever smelled starts barking orders. I jump into the light and roar again. Spells fly at me, but I'm in the shadows before they even get close. I see Tonks trans form into the woman and sneak inside.

For the next ten minutes I lead them on a game of cat and mouse. The idiots actually thought they were the cat. Little by little I start thinned the herd. I used their own shadows against them. My hit and runs were quite effective. The jugular was my primary target. I could come out of a shadow attack and be back into another shadow before they hit the ground.

Somewhere along the way I lost sight of that bitch in black. Only a few of them were left. They must have figured out my little secret, because they were clumped together. It was then when I heard the spells being fired from the other side of the Manor. SHIT! I took off in a flash, Tonks needed me.

I rounded the corner and what I saw will forever be burned into my mind. Two hundred yards of open grounds without any shadows laid between me and her, or should I say...them. Tonks was a firing off spell after spell over her shoulder, while she dragged what looked to be a half-conscious robed person.

I took off in a full sprint out in the open, praying that I to get to them in time. It was then that the blood covered robe opened and the hood fell back. A girl with white hair fired off a spell that was easily deflected. She could have passed for a ghost if it wasn't for all the blood running out her body. She was naked under the robe and covered with cuts. Some had strange designs in them. The fact that she could muster her magic at all was beyond me. She was defiantly a fighter.

Several bootlickers were throwing curses at them as, they made their way the the boundary of the wards. The bitch in black was leading the pack. She hit Tonks with a cutting curse across her leg and she went down. The girl landed on top of her. I had only managed to make half the distance to them.

I needed to buy them sometime, so I roared. It did the trick. They must have figured that the others were down and no longer a threat, because most of them turned their attention to me. All but the bitch. She had her eyes on the prize.

I ran through a gauntlet of curses. Only my quick panther reflexes kept me from getting hit. Trust me...they got close. Tonks fired a spell at the woman and she was knocked on her ass. I heard her yell at the girl to run, but she wouldn't leave Tonks. They were almost on their feet again when they were hit with another curse. Tonks at the last second twisted so that she took the blunt of the hit. Both fell in different directions.

"Did you really think you could escape girl?" The bitch taunted the girl as she closed the distance between them. She had her wand leveled on the poor girl and there was still to much distance between us.

"Leave her alone you fucking psycho!" Tonks had managed to get on her hands and knees. She was shaky at best.

"Get use to that position slut! My men will put you to good use. I' think, I'll sent pictures to Andy as Christmas cards." Like hell she will!

That was when fate lent me a hand or maybe it was just dumb luck. Don't really care at this point. A cloud cut across the moon and left a shadow for me to use. And did I ever. I came out of Tonks's shadow, leaped over the girl, and landed right in front of the psycho. I roared at her. I wish I could say that I saw her pee, but I definitely smelled it.

She recovered quickly though. I guess that was why she was the boss. She knew how to put her fear aside. I recoiled and readied to pounce, as she leveled her wand at me.

"FUCK YOU CUNT!" A spell whizzed past my ear and hit her square in the face. Boogers erupted out of her nose and formed bat wings. They then attacked her...now, that was freekin priceless. The bitch screams like a banshee.

I looked over my shoulder and see the girl eyes are barely open, but she has a satisfied smile on her face. She gives me a look like she didn't know what to think of me. I lick her across the face to let her know I'm her friend. I expected her to react like Tonks, but she didn't. She wrapped her arms around my neck and hugged me. I gave her another lick and she giggled.

"Shadow!" I look over at Tonks confused.

"That's right, from now on your Shadow." I give her a nod and she continues. "Get her to the portkey." I growl at her. I know what she's getting at, but she doesn't back down.

"NOW! That's an order!" Now I never shadow teleported with someone with me before, but it wasn't like I had a lot of options. We go into Tonks's shadow and come out by the exit point. We make it to the portkey in no time.

"T-thank you." Her voice is raspy, but her intent was sweet. I give her another lick and find it surprisingly nice that she doesn't freak out about it.

"I'll be fine. Go help Tonks." Like I have to be told twice. I go back though the wards and smell the foul stench of werewolves. This is bad, very, very bad. I round the bush that Tonks was hiding behind earlier and see her limping her way to the boundaries. She gets hit in the back by another cutting curse and screams as she goes down.

"Rip that little bitch into pieces!" That sadistic bitch yells. Two werewolves that were flanking her charge after Tonks. How in the fuck is she controlling werewolves? I charge after her. I have to get to Tonks. Now a different kind of fear is coursing through me. I won't hesitate this time. I'm not loosing Tonks! She's was crawling with her arms when she saw me coming. Her legs aren't working.

"NO! GET OUT OF HERE PUP! LEAVE ME!" No way in hell is that going to happen. There is also no way in hell I'll be able to get us to the portkey with two werewolves bearing down on us. There is only so much my shadow panther form can do. It's time to up the ante.

I leap over Tonks and go for the werewolves. I transform into my hybrid form. Just picture a werepanther with a tail, if there was such a thing and...well, you get the point. Now, the muggles say the only way to kill a werewolf is with silver. That shows total lack of imagination.

Luckily, I'm bigger than the both of them. I grab them both by the throats and lift them off the ground. Did I mention that my hybrid form if really freekin strong. I guess they aren't use to would be victims fighting back. I slam their heads together and then into the ground. They yipped like bitches, and Sirius said wrestling was rubbish. These two would disagree.

Don't get me wrong, the fuckers got back up, but at least they were more interested in me that Tonks. I wish I could say the same for that psycho bitch of an aunt of hers. While I was going toe to toe with these two she went after Tonks.

The advantage of being a hybrid over a werewolf is that they go on instinct and I don't. My claws are sharper than theirs and I know where to hit. I had to dance with them for awhile but a few severed arteries will do wonders. The down side...they heal quick. That is unless you literally beat one werewolf to death with the other one. Of course if all else fails...rip out their hearts. I know, a little gross, but very effective.

Unfortunately, while I was dealing with Ick and Ook over here, the remaining bootlickers had surrounded Tonks and were taking turns cursing her. I saw that bitch point her wand at Tonks. Then she looked up at me and smiled. I knew she was going to kill her and she knew I could never get to Tonks in time.

My mom taught me a spell once. It was an old one that was passed down from Potter to Potter. It was how my dad was able to get in front of us in time. It was basically a spell of last resort. It would open a small dimensional portal so you could escape. The range was less that seven miles so it wasn't used as a means of primary travel. I have been practicing with it to see if it had other applications. I just hopped it worked with that hole in the ward.

I reached out with my magic, just as she cast her killing curse. The ground under Tonks rippled like water and she sank through it. With any luck she would come out by the portkey. To my horror, the curse went through the portal as well.

I don't know if it was that or that bitches laughing that sent me over the edge. All that I did know was the panther in me got out. I ripped into those bastards with a bloodlust that would put a vampire to shame. Fang, claw and magic was unmercifully unleashed. I ripped out one of their throats. Gutted another three. Broke two backs and I think I took one of their heads. One by one they fell, until only that bitch was left. Her wand arm was broken in several places and she dangled helplessly as I held her throat in my claw.

Again, that night a smelled werewolf. This time it was different. Then, the howl came and it sent a chill down my spine. I look over my shoulder and see a big werewolf...a really big freekin werewolf. My uncle Moony described him to me once. There wasn't a doubt in my mind that I was looking at Greyback.

"Come to play have we boy?" He growled and I understood him perfectly.

"Come to kill." I growled back and prayed that he didn't smell any fear on me. I knew I couldn't take him. I'm pretty sure he knew it too.

"The dark lord is fond of that one. He will reward me if I save her life."

"You not that fast." I draw blood from her neck to make my point.

"Nor are you." From behind him, he pulls out the white haired girl. Her eyes are closed, but I hear a small moan escape from her. I growl and the noise he makes. I can only guess is a werewolf laugh.

"Did you bite her."

"Not yet. So ripe and fresh...it's hard to resist." I sense he's not lying. Don't ask me how, because I don't really know. I just do.

"A trade?"

"You think?" I hate smart-ass werewolves. I don't have the luxury of time, the wards around this place are going to seal any second. We play a game of toss the hostage. While a catch her, he just lets the bitch land at his feet. Must be her sweet bubbly personality that gets her that kind of devotion. I really don't care, a shadow later we're outside the wards. I can't find the portkey or Tonks. I pray she's safe and alive. I make a portkey and were gone.

I carry her back to our safe house. She's looks so small and pale. I know she's beyond any help that I can give her. I have to get a message to mom. How does she still has blood? Her blood that is in my fur is so overpowering. It distorts my senses. I'm so tired. I knew I pushed myself to the limit tonight. Every step feels like it's the last I have in me to make. Somehow, we make it to the front door. My claws are covered in blood and I can't get a grip. No other choice, I have to smash the door in. It will set off the wards we have around this place. I hope the Calvary get here soon...I've got nothing left.

The first thing I see is my mom kneeling over Tonks and she's not moving. Then, it hit's me that my mom has never seen this version of my animagus. So lets recap...werepanther...covered in blood...holding a pale naked girl...covered with cuts. Does my mom freak out a little...Ya think?

Harry is pulled out of his memory by the vibration of the silent wards alarm around Hogwarts going off. His magical watch shows Padfoots face.

"Pup, Sector 5! Your closer than me!"

"I'm on it!" Harry yells as he climbs out of his trunk. The common room should be empty so he leaps off the top of the stairs and transforms into Shadow before he hits the floor. He never saw Emma on the girls balcony. He most certainty, didn't see the look on her face, just before she fainted.