Chapter 9- Are you sure you want to do this?
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Remus was reading over his potions essay one last time. He was finished early, which was no surprise. Remus always finished work ahead of schedule. It drove James and Sirius mad.
"Moony, can't you just be normal and finish it at breakfast," Sirius had asked more than once.
He had been working on it all evening, while Sirius and James went over the finer points of the Animagus transformation with Lily. He looked up at them. Lily's brows were knitted together in concentration. She nodded at something James had said to her. She was proving to be a quick study, as Sirius had pointed out. Remus had known that she would be. With James and Sirius' help Lily would probably be ready to transform in a week or two. Of course, she would be capable of it before then, but James wouldn't allow it until he was sure that Lily knew what she was doing. Remus returned his attention to his parchment.
I smell the tart, but sweet smell of lemonade. Homemade, on a hot summer's day. It was always my favorite drink as a child. No one can make lemonade that compares to my mother's. It's been three years since I drank it. Three years since she's been gone. One day maybe I'll find someone who makes lemonade like my mother did.
Then, there is the calming scent of lavender. It clears my head, and soothes my senses. It beckons sleep, when rest, peace, and dreams evade me.
I can smell a minty hint of toothpaste. It makes me think of Katherine. I loved Katherine, but I know that I can't be with her. Her kisses were always punctuated with the refreshing taste of mint toothpaste, something I'll never forget.
Lastly, I smell the warm rich scent of chocolate. Chocolate is possibly my favorite thing in the world. It has many healing properties, most being associated with happiness. Muggles have even realized the magical properties of the seeds that come from the Cacao tree. It can be utilized in many different forms, the most notable being the chocolate bar from Honeydukes.
`Good as it's going to get', Remus thought to himself.
"James, just let me try it," Lily was pleading.
"No, you're not ready. You could get hurt very badly if the transformation goes wrong."
"Sirius, tell him I can do it, please."
"James, let her try. Chances are she won't be able to transform yet, and if anything goes wrong, it can't be worse than Peter's first tries. We can sort her out." Sirius didn't know why he was taking Lily's side over James'.
"Fine, upstairs with you," James gave in with a sigh. Lily squealed in delight. She flung her arms about James' neck and kissed him on the cheek. Remus followed his friends up the winding staircase.
Lily was standing in the middle of the boys' dormitory, her heart pounding with a mixture of fear and excitement.
"Are you sure you want to do this," James asked. Lily nodded. The boys stepped away from her. "Take your time, whenever you're ready."
She closed her eyes, and began to take slow steady breaths to calm herself. She felt her heartbeat slow to a normal pace. She whispered the incantation that James and Sirius had taught her. Suddenly, there was a sharp noise in her ears. She felt quite odd.
James and Sirius had recognized what was happening, and both rushed forward to grab Lily. Her spell had not been strong enough, so she had passed out instead of transforming. Remus handed James a piece of chocolate for Lily. She slowly opened her eyes. James could see that she was very upset that she had failed.
"It was a good first try Lily," James said in a comforting tone.
"Really," she asked weakly. James nodded
"I think I know what your animagus form is already."
"What," Lily asked, trying hard to contain her excitement.
"A fainting goat," he said with a hearty laugh. She gave him a look that would freeze a dragon's breath.
"I'm trying again," she resolved.
James helped her to her feet, and the boys stepped clear from her once more.
Once again she closed her eyes, and whispered the incantation. She felt her ribs and neck lengthening, her spine was shifting. Then she felt her body revert to normal. Sirius conjured a glass of water for her, which she gulped down.
"One more try," she said.
"No, you need to rest," James said firmly.
"Just once more, if I don't get it, then I'll call it quits until you say I'm ready."
This time Lily sat down on the floor. She closed her eyes, and whispered the incantation so that it was no more than the exhalation of a deep breath.
"What's that about the third time being a charm," Sirius said in a low tone.
The Marauders were stunned. She had done it. Where Lily had sat, a lithe doe was beginning to stand up. Its shining fur was a warm reddish color. James and Sirius saw that it was hard for her to stand. They remembered learning to move in the body of an animal. Lily would have to teach herself to react to the differences in balance and center of gravity. She would need to train her muscles to move her joints in new directions. Remus saw her beginning to fall, from both a lack of balance and weakness from her previous draining attempts at transforming. He pointed his wand at the floor and performed a cushioning charm, as Sirius and James said the counter charm to return Lily to her true form.
"I won't try it again until you think I'm ready"
"But Lily you…" Sirius began.
"No, not until James thinks I'm ready."
"Lily, you're ready, you just need to rest. Tomorrow, we'll try again," James said. He was beaming at her. She had exceeded all of their expectations.
"I just want to go to sleep now," Lily said very softly as she stood up. James put his arm around Lily to steady her.
"Lily why don't you lay down here and rest for a few minutes," he said. She yawned and nodded her head as she leaned into James. He picked her up and laid her on his bed, then covered her with a blanket. She closed her eyes almost immediately and fell into a deep slumber.
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