All of them had been treating him as if he had murdered someone. He didn't want to expose Caroline's secret. Partly, because he wanted her to give her a chance to redeem herself or maybe he knew they wouldn't believe him.
James Potter was following the path to the Shrieking Shack where Remus usually went, but he had been late because of Lily's intrusion.
His path was stopped by a wolf. The wolf howled, jumping at him out of nowhere and bit him.
James screamed in pain. He was in animal form, this bite wouldn't turn him into a wolf as he had been bitten by Lupin many times. But, he hadn't done that in months. He knew who it was and it wasn't Remus. It was her. He screamed as blood poured out of his body after running for a while. He felt faint and a dark haze came in front of his eyes and fainted.
Night passed and morning came but James Potter wasn't with the other Marauders or anywhere at school.
Sirius Black left Peter with Lupin and took his Hogsmeade day off to find James. And, near nightfall, he did. He found a severely wounded deer near behind the Shrieking Shack.
"James?" He came nearer to it.
He recognized a scar James had. Gotten as a stag years ago.
"Come on. Let's get you out of here." He picked up the weak stag in his arms and apparated near Hogwarts and then walked to the Hospital Wing, but Madam Pomfrey turned him out, telling him that it was not an animal's hospital. Sirius had to make a decision. Ask Lily for help and have James being mad at him forever. Or go to McGonagall and have James being mad at him forever. He chose the latter.
"Professor?" He barged into her office, early in the morning.
She was deciding on some punishment for a couple of third year students.
"I need to talk to you…"
"Mr. Black!"
"What are you two staring at?" Sirius barked, "Never seen a man with a stag before?"
They gaped.
"Now, scramp!" He ordered the two boys. "Out!"
McGonagall stared at Sirius. In her decades of teaching she felt she had seen everything there was to see. But, these boys never ceased to amaze her.
"What are you doing with that, Mr. Black?" She asked, coming near. "And, how did it get that bite?"
"It is..." Sirius bit his lip. He wasn't sure if he should say something.
"Go on!" She said, impatiently.
"This is not a stag."
She looked at him, a little wildly.
"It's...James."
"James?" She asked. Laughing. "You mean to tell me…."
She started to laugh, something Sirius had never seen.
"That James Potter is the youngest professional Quidditch player, on the track to becoming class valedictorian?" She asked him, "And, an animagus at age 17?"
She sat down.
"I expected better pranks this year, Mr. Black." She shook her head, "I accept that James is a talented wizard but...this is too much."
"This is not a joke." Sirius insisted.
"If this isn't a joke then, turn back, Mr. Potter." She told the stag.
"He can't." Sirius told her, "He's too weak! A lot of blood loss. Can't you give him a tonic, first?"
"Mr. Black. I have better things to do." She headed towards the door, "I gather you will let this poor animal out?"
She was about to open the door when she heard a bark. She wasn't sure if she heard right. She turned around.
"Oh…" She jumped.
Sirius Black was gone and in his place stood a large black dog.
"Sirius?" She whispered.
Sirius turned back.
"So, this is James?" She nodded, "And....and."
She had a million questions.
"When…?" She asked.
"Fourth year." Sirius told her.
"Fourth year?" She yelped.
"We did it to help Moony." He admitted.
"So, that's where the names come from." She realized. "Prongs, Padfoot, Moony and I gather Pettigrew is Wormtail."
He nodded again. She opened a cabinet and took an ointment and softly dabbed it on James's wound. It healed instantly. Sirius got him water and James turned back.
"Oh, thank you." James murmured as he collapsed on a chair.
"I should…" McGonagall didn't know what to say. "I think we should call the Ministry and inform them of…."
"NO!" Both the boys shouted. James's voice was hoarse.
"We are going to join the Order." James said, croaking. "I think Dumbledore will appreciate three unregistered animagus for spying."
"You are going to join the Order?" She asked.
These boys were so young...
"Yes." Sirius told her. "Me, right after school."
"And, I will come in March." James told her.
"What is in March?" She asked, a little curious since James and Sirius did everything together. Sirius even took a gap year to go on tour with James just so he could be with his best friend. Sometimes, she thought those two had a deeply unhealthy friendship.
"My contract is over." James told her.
Something, he hadn't even told his parents yet.
"I quit the team."
"What?"
James had a promising start in the Quidditch career.
career.
"I will work for the Order till the war is over." James replied firmly. "After that, if the team will have me ... .I would love to play for England again."
She smiled.
"That's…." She stopped, "You two should rest."
"Thank you, Professor." James stood up, Sirius helped him.
"Hey, Professor?" James turned. "Why do you have an ointment for animals?"
He was just curious. She didn't have any pets.
"Because, I am an unregistered animagus." She said, her eyes fixed on some parchment.
They both gaped at her.
"Close the door behind you, Mr. Potter." She said, busily.
James Potter returned to his rooms after getting a sleep tonic from Madam Pomfrey. For the first time he was using the lodging he had been giving for his Captaincy because he needed to sleep. He needed time away from Caroline and her newly found friends. He hadn't anticipated that Lily would be there.
"What are you doing here?" She asked, gruffly.
He never used his room.
"Incase, you forgot." He said, shortly. "That room belongs to me. It has my name on it."
He pointed to the gold embossed 'Quidditch Captain, James Potter" on the left door. Next to the one marked "Evans, Lily. Headgirl."
He headed towards the door. He clutched at his arm as the cuts and grazes from the rough bushes hurt. Madam Pomfrey had said that it was better that he they healed on their own.
"How can you live with that?" She asked, disgusted. "It thought you were awful, but this...…..this wasn't something anyone would expect."
James didn't understand what she was talking about.
"Well, I try." He said, trying to get rid of her.
"Of course, you do." She spat and walked to her room.