The Plan in Motion
April 10th, 1972
Their Animagus journey continued, inching ever closer to success. What had once been a distant, impossible goal now felt like something tangible, something real.
But it was still dangerous.
The risk of botching the transformation was high. One mistake and they could end up stuck halfway between forms—permanently.
Still, the boys were undeterred. If anything, the difficulty only made them more determined.
“Alright, let’s go over it again,” James said one evening, seated cross-legged on the floor of their dormitory, a large open book spread in front of him. “We’ve got the Mandrake leaves, we know the incantation, and we’ve memorized the meditation exercises.”
Sirius flopped onto his bed with a groan. “We know all this, James. We just need to actually do it.”
Remus, perched on the windowsill, arms crossed, looked uneasy. “You do realize this is beyond illegal, right?”
Sirius smirked. “Oh, come off it, Remus. Since when have we ever let the rules stop us?”
Peter, sitting beside James, looked far less confident. “But, uh… we do know what we’re doing, right?”
James clapped him on the back. “Of course we do. It’s just about commitment at this point. The potion’s the hardest part, and we’re already halfway through brewing it.”
That wasn’t entirely true.
The Animagus transformation wasn’t just about drinking a potion and waving a wand. It was a months-long process, requiring absolute precision, careful monitoring, and—above all else—sheer willpower.
And none of them had even attempted partial transformation yet.
“If we can pull this off,” Sirius mused, stretching his arms behind his head, “Remus won’t have to go through it alone anymore.”
The room fell silent.
Remus, who had been staring out at the moonlit grounds, shifted uncomfortably. “You lot don’t have to do this, you know.”
James scoffed. “Obviously we do.”
Peter nodded, looking determined despite his nerves. “Yeah. We’re not just going to let you suffer on your own, Remus.”
Sirius swung his legs off the bed and sat up. “We’ve been over this. You’re one of us. We fix things for each other. And this? This fixes everything.”
Remus exhaled, shaking his head. “It doesn’t fix everything, Sirius. It just… makes things easier.”
“Exactly,” James said. “And that’s more than enough reason to do it.”
There was no arguing with them.
And deep down, Remus was relieved.
Because, for the first time in his life, he wouldn’t have to face the full moon alone.