Mischief Managed!

34.

This one is dedicated to @Snuzza14
As she is the first person to read vote and comment on my chapters.. thnx a lot @Snuzza14mention a user

"What are you reading?"

Lily startled and glanced up to find James leaning over the back of her lounge, smiling at her fondly.

"Oh, just revision," she murmured, setting the book aside and yawning. The fire was growing low in the grate, the flames casting flickering shadows across the Head's common room. James nodded, pushing himself back up into standing position. Suddenly, Lily noticed the cloak tucked under his arm.

"You going out?"

James nodded again. "Full moon," he explained softly.

Lily's eyes widened. James looked so calm, for someone that was setting off to spend a night with a werewolf. Although, really, he wasn't: he was going to spend a night with his friends, and it was as simple as that.

"Oh – be safe, then?" she murmured, standing up awkwardly. James leant across the lounge and kissed her cheek.

"Always, Lily. See you in the morning?"

Lily watched as he turned, checking his watch as he walked briskly out of the tower. It was Friday night, and in fact the night they had originally planned to hold the ball. Instead, James had had it pushed back to Saturday so that Remus would have some company. Sinking back down onto the lounge, she sighed. James had certainly proved to be full of surprises, and Lily couldn't help but feel the slightest bit guilty that she had been so cold to him for so long. She should have listened to Remus; but then, Lily conceded with a smile, if everyone listened to Remus the world would be perfect. She couldn't recall ever meeting someone who had such a knack for being right. And even so, she had misjudged him too. In fact, she had misjudged all of them… If only there was a way to make it up to them.

James the stag (we shall call him Prongs) trotted out of the dark, earthy passageway and into the open, ducking beneath the knarled branches of the frozen Whomping Willow. Sweeping his impressive head around, he carefully checked for any movement before turning pack to the passageway and grunting gently. A cheerful bark responded, and moments later, a shaggy black dog came bounding out of the tunnel, closely followed by a ragged wolf, his coat streaked and mottled with grey and gold. A rat clung to the wolf's fur, riding with his head held high in pride. Prongs snorted and shook his head. Rats were so conceited…

As if able to read his thoughts, Wormtail turned to him, beady eyes accusing. Padfoot, ignoring this silent match of wills, snuffled softly and jerked his head eagerly toward the forest. The wolf grinned in reply, barring his sharply pointed teeth in anticipation. As one, the pack of Marauders set off toward the tumble of trees.

There was nothing Prongs enjoyed more than loping across the gently sloping grounds of Hogwarts, the full moon cast high in the night sky. They skirted around Hagrid's cottage, and made a fresh break for the cover of the trees, when much to the collective surprise of the stag, rat, dog and werewolf, a slender doe trotted out of the undergrowth to meet them.

Padfoot barked in amusement as Prongs immediately straightened, holding his head higher, a move that immediately transformed him into a very regal looking creature.

The doe, however, did not seem impressed. She approached them without fear, ducking her head in familiarity and bleating softly.

James shook his head, immediately aware of the effect the doe was having on him. He might have been a stag, but at that moment, his human mind unfurled, and he watched the doe with suspicion. One slip on the part of his animagus form, and Lily would never forgive him.