A Mad Idea
March 31th, 1972
The fire crackled in the Gryffindor common room, casting flickering shadows along the walls. It was late—far too late for them to still be awake—but the four of them sat huddled around a pile of books, parchment, and scattered notes, whispering furiously.
“I’m just saying,” James muttered, tapping his quill against his knee, “this is insane.”
“Brilliant,” Sirius corrected.
“Impossible,” Remus added flatly.
Peter looked between them nervously. “You really think we could actually do it?”
The idea had started as a joke. A ridiculous, completely absurd joke.
But then Sirius—always one to take a reckless idea and run with it—had latched onto it, refusing to let it go. And now, somehow, they had spent the last two hours seriously discussing it.
Becoming Animagi.
For Remus.
For the full moon.
Remus had been quiet for most of it, listening as they argued over theories and spells and possibilities. He wanted to tell them they were wasting their time. That it was dangerous. That it was impossible.
But the idea had wormed its way into his brain, refusing to leave.
Because if—if—it did work…
For the first time in his life, he wouldn’t have to be alone.
Sirius leaned forward, eyes alight with excitement. “Think about it, Remus—if we could pull it off, you wouldn’t have to be locked away in the Shack. You’d have us.”
Remus exhaled sharply. “You’re all assuming this is even possible.”
James grinned. “McGonagall did it.”
“She’s McGonagall,” Remus pointed out. “One of the most brilliant witches of our time.”
Sirius smirked. “And we’re us.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of,” Remus muttered.
James waved a hand dismissively. “Look, we know it’s going to be hard. It’s supposed to take years, but we’re four people, not one. We split the research. We test it. We figure it out.”
Remus glanced between them, something tight in his chest. “You really want to do this?”
Sirius scoffed. “Obviously.”
James nodded. “Of course.”
Peter swallowed but gave a small smile. “Yeah.”
Remus hesitated. “This could go horribly wrong.”
“Yeah,” Sirius said. “But what if it doesn’t?”
Silence stretched between them.
Remus thought of Greyback’s howl outside the Shack. Of the loneliness. Of the fear.
And then he thought of this—of them. Of the fact that, for the first time, someone was choosing to stay.
Maybe it was mad. Maybe it was impossible.
But then again—so was magic.
“…Alright,” Remus said, shaking his head. “Let’s do it.”
And just like that, everything changed.