— 𝐒𝐄𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑 𝟏𝟗𝟕𝟒
On the morning before everyone leaves for Hogwarts Express, you and the Marauders gather around the boys dorm room, finally bringing your Animagus plan into motion — after much research in the library and a not-so-subtle brief discussion with Professor McGonagall.
Being the best at potions in your group, you give them the lay down of the upcoming process and that it might take their whole fourth year to complete. You strongly tell them it's going to be a long and arduous process especially when you had to brew three potions, and that they had to commit or else it can potentially backfire and cause the transformation to go horribly wrong.
Thankfully, Peter, James, and Sirius were still determined on becoming Animagi for Remus. The first part of the process was that they needed to gather Mandrake leaves and keep it in their mouths for an entire month. Upon hearing their complaints, you immediately shush them up and continue on. While they'd be stuck with a horrible breath, you instructed them to gather the rest of the needed ingredients so that you may brew the potion when it's time to add their leaves.
Once the potion is done, the last step is for them to recite an incantation on a daily basis until a lightning storm hits, which luckily for them, occurs a few times a year.
After you've explained everything, James was the first to speak up, furrowing his eyebrows in thought, "That doesn't seem too long. Why's it going to take us a whole year?"
You snorted, giving him a look, "Because I already know it's going to take you three idiots longer than a month to have a leaf stuck in your mouths."
—
After the Summer, finally coming back to start your fourth year together, the five of you gather once again in the boys dorm room. It was easy enough for James and Sirius to sneak into the Greenhouses under the invisibility cloak and steal the needed Mandrake leaves without Professor Sprout noticing anything out of the ordinary.
With leaves now placed on their open palms, you remind them, "You cannot—cannot let it fall out."
Peter raises his other hand, "But what if—"
"No buts! You have to absolutely make sure it stays in."
Peter gulps, looking apprehensively at the leaf in his hand, almost regretting his very suggestion of becoming Animagus in the first place. James and Sirius gave each other a questionable look then down at their own hands, already imagining the next few torturous months. The three boys reminded themselves they were doing this for their best mate, and that a leaf isn't going to be the one that stops them.
Remus sat lazily on his four-poster bed, amusingly watching their scrunched up faces, "You guys can still back out, you know? You don't have to—"
"Shut it, Remus." You snap, crossing your arms and darting your eyes back at him.
Remus immediately sat upright, "Yes, ma'am." And clamped his lips together.
You weren't about to let months of studying and research quickly go down the drain without trying. You and Remus watched the three slowly, but surely, place the leaf into their mouths. Failing to suppress a smile, you chuckle at their initial reaction of disgust, clearly unable to take in the horrible taste. They took a moment to adjust to the foreign object that'd need to be stuck for weeks to come, making sure to secure it in place.
Once Peter was able to place it somewhere in between his teeth, "Oh, it's not that ba—" He croaked. The leaf had accidentally gone down his throat, "Uh, oh."
"Looks like Peter's going to turn into a Mandrake instead!" James exclaims, cackling and pointing at his panicked face.
You blink unbelievingly, "Y-You swallowed it! It's barely been a minute, Peter!"
Sirius followed suit, laughing and teasing Peter alongside James. And just before you could scold them, the two idiots laughed so hard, they started choking on their own leaves. It was chaotic, and you couldn't believe it took less than a minute for utter failure.
You face palmed, whispering into your hand, "Godric, give me the patience not to hex these overgrown toddlers."
Shaking your head in defeat and surrendering to their absurdity, you try to save the choking James and Sirius while you instruct Remus and Peter to sneak back into the Greenhouse. When they returned, their sling bags had been filled to the brim with leaves; overflowing and lightly dropping pieces on the floor.
It was enough to last them a whole year.
—
Two weeks had gone by, and your initial prediction had come true — Peter, James, and Sirius had to constantly start over. And surprisingly, the longest so far was Sirius; being able to keep it in for three days straight. That is, until one makeout session with Marlene.
"I couldn't kiss him at all, and then he went behind a tree to spit something out. He still tasted like bug droppings." Marlene scrunched her nose, laying on her stomach on the bed with her chin propped on both hands.
It was you, Lily, and Marlene in the girls dorm room that night. And despite the feelings you had for Sirius, you somehow managed not to let it affect your friendship with him and Marlene. Sirius never liked being in a committed relationship, however, he had eventually started enjoying her company. It took all your strength not to get jealous, knowing it wasn't fair when he wasn't aware of your attraction towards him — at least you think so.
Lily raises her eyebrow, "That was odd. Although, they have been acting strange lately." She pointed out, turning to you for an explanation since you had a closer relationship with them.
You simply shrugged, convincing them you were just as clueless as they are. And then you excused yourself and walked next door to the boys dorm room, slamming the door so hard, you surprised Peter enough for him to fall off his bed onto the floor with a loud thud.
You stalked over to Sirius who was peacefully reading a Muggle magazine which had big bold letters spelling out the word Rolling Stone over the cover of a rock musician. You had hoped that Sirius would be the one to be able to complete a month, but obviously he had other priorities — never missing the opportunity to lock lips with a girl. However, this time your frustration overpowered your feelings for him.
You grabbed the magazine out of his hands, and threw it at the end of his bed, "Sirius, did you spit out another leaf?"
Sirius frantically eyed Remus and James for help, but to his dismay they were just as afraid to step in. He nervously blinks, "I—No..."
With Sirius being an obviously terrible liar under pressure, you pinched the bridge of your nose with a heavy sigh, "Were you dropped on your head as an infant?"
"Bold of you to assume I was held." He retorted coolly, a smug smile on his face.
James went into a coughing fit while Peter and Remus bit hard into their fist, trying to contain their laughter. You couldn't help your lips curl into a smile as you struggled to keep a straight face.
Quickly composing yourself and pointing at Sirius' lips, you ordered, "Sirius Orion Black, show me your mouth!"
He hesitantly opens it, and you examined it — just as you suspected, it was empty. And then you reached into the pocket of your robes, pulling out a fistful of Mandrake leaves and shoved them all inside his mouth.
After you make your exit and leave Sirius to struggle to his own devices, James slightly leans in from his bed to cautiously whisper to Remus next to him, afraid you might somehow developed hypersensitive hearing, "And you've put up with her since you were kids?"
Remus grins, "Why? She's a delight."
Mischief Managed