James P.O.V.
Remus still hasn't returned yet from his prefect duty so The Marauders had started practicing without him , they had succeeded very much in producing their Patronuses but still not a corpreal Patronus yet .
But James was now confident that with few more hours of practice they all will be able to produce it.
The next morning when the Marauders arrive in great hall they all sat near Lily and the 2 Ms.
James was tired to speak much due to late night practices and potion brewing ( which was to be drink in moonlight before final transformation.) so he just eat his pancakes and listened to others talking.
"So have you all completed the history of magic essay on 'Goblin Revolution ' ? asked Mary mostly to Remus.
They all nodded and Sirius muttered "Remus forced us."
"We cant stand detentions at this time Sirius, thanks Remus for help. " Peter said.
"No problem " Remus replied.
"Thats very cute of you Remus " said Mary her face turning red.
Sirius yawned followed by Peter and then by James.
James was not interested in the talk until the most unexpected person called him and that too by his first name ,
" James can we talk alone for a second ? " Lily said.
James thought he was dreaming , he pinched his leg to make sure it wasn't a dream. Was she going to say 'yes' ? or is she going to turn him in for some prank but which one he couldn't think clearly now , or is she going to hex him he doesn't know he cant think straight when she is around him.
Nervously and confused he said "Um... Yes ?"
He followed her outside the great hall . She stopped and turned towards him and put her hands in her robes .Realising that she was going to take out her wand and hex him he suddenly took a step back and said "Don't hex me , I haven't done anything............out of rules since the fireworks at start of term"
To his surprise Lily started laughing and seeing those smiles the intensity of butterflies in his stomach increased.
"I wasn't going to hex you Idiot ! Its a potion it will help you to sleep properly , its for a dreamless sleep . Remus told me about it yesterday, don't worry your parents will be safe ." she gave him a vial and then she gave him a friendly hug .
"Um......Thanks " said James still confused at what was happening , the hug , nightmares , parents , Remus , sleep.
"Hope it helps" said Lily before turning towards the great hall and James followed her still confused but happy ( ok he was on cloud nine).
Later when he told about the story to other marauders and when Remus clarified what was all that about than only James could understand what has happened . He was grinning whole day and didn't feel sleepy but was although dreaming with open eyes.
In the night when the marauders started practicing again , James tried few happy memories but was only able to produce white wisp . His friends were also practising but they also were as successful as James till now although Remus had once nearly conjured large shape but it instantly disappeared.
James looked down he was wearing the same shirt whick=h hw wore in morning , he could still feel his skin burn where she has touched him , he remembered her perfume smell of jasmine , with all these thoughts in his mind he closed his eyes remembered her laughing her hugging him and open his eyes and spoke confidently .
" EXPECTO PATRONUM " a large stag erupted from his wand and began running around , it has very beautiful antlers . All the boys look at it in awe.\
"Thats brilliant James " said Peter his mouth open in amazement. Sirius patted him as they all watched the stag circling the room.
Feeling cheerful all the others started concentrating and speaking the charm .
Remus wolf came out next and started waking around the room soon after few minutes a dog erupted from Sirius' wand .
"Come on Pete you can do it " they all encouraged him and after 10 more tries a rat erupted from Peters wand.
All the four animals soon began to circle around the four boys happily growing brighter until after 5 minutes one by one they all disappeared.
Happy with their success they decided to celebrate , Peter and Sirius ran to kitchen under invisibility cloak with the map and returned with handful of foods , cakes and juices.
"To the Marauders " Said Remus raising his glass and others followed.
The next day James decided to return his favour to Lily by asking her out but on Remus' advice he dropped the idea instead decided to give her Lily flowers and a bottle of rose perfume in the way Lily has done it.
"Um..... Lily can we talk alone ?" she looked at him in confused way " Its about yesterday " he said .
"Oh.. sure " she said.
When they reached outside he put his hand in his robes where he has hid the gift .
"Are you going to hex me ? " she said , when he looked up at her she was trying to suppress a laugh and was clearly failing. He laughed and took out the flower and the perfume and handed them to her .
"Its for yesterday, you probably don't know but it helped me and the other three very very much . So its just a thanks gift for helping me , it meant a lot."
She looked the flowers happily and muttered "typical" happily under her breath and then she opened the bottle and smelled it and her eyes grew in shock but she was smiling .
"How did you knew that I like jasmine perfume ? Everyone just gives me lily or rose ones but I like jasmine most," she said .
"Actually.... yesterday. when you hugged me I smelled the jasmine perfume and ordered it with speed owl so...." he said nervously ( will she get angry that he smelled her ?) but with a grin on his face.
She laughed and said "Oh! Clever thinking , I loved it ."
Ooh she loved it should I ask her out ? No said Remus voice in his brain . Knowing that his brain acts weird around Lily he followed Remus' voice . And it paid well because Lily gave him a kiss on his cheek and said "Thanks for the gift and it was my pleasure to help you " before going back to the hall and he could have sweared that she was blushing .
His hand reached his cheek to the spot where her lips has touched him it was burning hot . at this moment he could have easily produced a corpreal patronus.
"It was just a friendly kiss on the cheeks " shouted Sirius when Jmes has told them about the kiss for what seemed like thousandth time .
"Anyway lets focus on tomorrow , its a big and important day " said Remus , it was full moon and the night when the animagus process ends , the most crucial and life threatening part.
Peter nodded looking anxious "Yeah.." he said with sweat forming on his forehead.
"The potion is ready , we just have to add the leaf and Death's-head Hawk Moth then stir it in moonlight before drinking it ." said Sirius.
"Dont forget we have to mutter the incantation 'Amato Animo Animato Animagus' every hour tomorrow until finally saying it while facing the moon with wand at our heart and then the animagus transformation begins . " said James stress lines on his forehead .
"I am scared " said Pete biting his nails .
None of them said anything because all of them were scared as hell , one wrong step and their life will end .
They all took a gulp of potion which lily has provided for better sleep and fell asleep .
The next day all the marauders were tensed and silent waiting for night , people thought they were under the pressure of O.W.Ls and they just nodded , relaxed that they don't have to think of an excuse.
'I can help you Remus with astrology , if you want " said Mary turning red.
"Thanks" said Remus going red himself . Surely they both fancied each other thought james and grinned .
Remus left for hospital wing in evening wishing them luck.
The remaining three boys made their way up to roof of astronomy tower where moonlight was clear , they reached their under the cloak and having double checked the map for clearance , once they were sure that no one will interrupt they started putting the leaf in each of their cauldron and then the Death's-head Hawk Moth and started stirring the potion carefully , once thew moon became full they all looked at each other nervously and nodded , they took out their wand , placed it at their heart and muttered the incantation 'Amato Animo Animato Animagus' they then put the contents of the cauldron in their glasses and nervously with shaky hands drank it , it tasted like mud at starting but then it tasted and reminded James of deers , Sirius of dogs and to Peter of rats .
When they all finished their potion they placed the wand at heart for last time faced the moon and said " 'Amato Animo Animato Animagus'" together for the final time.
James experienced pain all over his body , his mind become shaky and foggy and a pain ran through his head to his body ready to explode him . Oh no he was going to die , he gas done it all wrong and he has taken down Sirius and Peter with him too , he didn't worry about himself but prayed to god that his friends are safe.
Then after few moments that seemed like eternities the pain stopped , his mind become stable .
He tried to rum his hand through his hairs but he couldn't , he has changed , he was standing on four legs , he could feel the antlers' weight on his head , he had finally become an animagus .
He glanced to his side to face a big black dog , he tried to say 'Sirius' but couldn't , but to his surprisethe dog turned to look at him as though able to hear him.
'Can you hear me ' said the stag.
'Yes, YES , I can hear and am able to speak to you without using words ' said the dog.
'Just like animals' said a voice of peter.
'Pete where are you ?' said the stag.
'Down , on floor ' replied petes voice.
They both looked down to find a rat looking back at them.
But then they heard a distant howl ( thanks to their animal senses.)
'Lets transform and go to shrieking sgack before becoming animals again' said the stag.
And then there were three boys standing there , they threw the cloack over themselves , checked the map and ran to the shriehing shack passing the whooping willow (stopped by the rat).
At the entrance they all transformed to their animagus form and entered to found an angry looking wolf , the rat ran and hide under the old cupboard , while the other two calmed the wolf once the wolf was calmed and recognised that they were his allies ,the rat came out .
Standing in the room were a STAG , a WOLF, a DOG and RAT playing .
What a strange sight.