AN: Thank you everyone, for your kind wishes of wellness for me, they have helped (along with the help of antibiotics, loverly tea, and a whole lot of good ol' Chicken Noodle Soup, Cambells condenced of course, man a hate that stuff when I am well, but it is a nesecary staple for my survivle when I am sick ) and becuase you all are so awesome, have a post! Dedicated to all of my readers!!!

Chapter 37: Occlumency and the Animagus

All was silent in the dark hallway, as Minerva glared at James, Sirius and Lupin, the three of them eyes as wide and just as still as a deer in the head lights.

“What is the meaning of this?” Minerva’s voice of soft as steel and sounded just as deadly.

“It was my idea…” Harry began, but he was interrupted by a scoff from Moody.

“Don’t try to protect them boy.” Moody growled softly, his magically completely focusing on the three men.

“Why don’t we turn around, and go back inside.” Minerva said pleasantly enough, motioning for them to go back through the door.

For a moment no one moved, and Harry thought that the three men might try to physically push their way out of the situation. After a tense moment however, Sirius sighed, turned around and opened the door.

“Good choice.” Moody muttered under his breath as he pushed the group into the room.
“Now,” Minerva began when everyone was in chairs looking at her, “would you like to tell me what’s going on here?”

“Not really.” Sirius muttered under his breath, but not under enough to avoid a bat bogey hex that would have made Ginny envious had she seen it.

On a sigh, Minerva pointed her wand at Sirius again who shrank back in fear. He smiled and gave a sigh of relief as his clothes and body were suddenly cleansed of the remnants from the hex.

“Boys!” Minerva said suddenly, her voice pleading. “You can not coerce Harry into joining you little group, ‘The Mauraders’ he needs to focus on other things right now.”

The group looked at each other, and then burst into laughter. Tears began streaming down the men’s faces as they fell out of their chairs, not attempting to curb their laughter in the least.

“They are not trying to get me to join their group, Minerva,” Harry said softly, smiling at the men’s glee, he could once again see the joy of their youth. “They want me to learn to become an Animagus.”

The men were beginning to calm down now and picked themselves up off the floor, sighing and smiling and wiping tears from their faces.

“Oh.” Minerva stood dumbfounded, “Then why didn’t they bring the idea to me, I think it would be good for not only you, but some of the others as well.” Minerva said smiling and nodding.

“Unregistered Animagus.” Harry said simply, watching both Minerva and Moody’s faces to gauge their reaction.

“Ah, I see.” She silently began to pace. The room sat forward anxious to see her response.

“We are going to begin teaching you and some of the other members Occlumency soon.” She paused and looked at Harry meaningfully, “maybe you should wait a little while, you know.” She gave a brief shrug.

“Now that is taken care of, we should really be heading back to the others before they miss us.” Moody led the way out of the room.

“By the way, “Sirius whispered to Moody as he followed him back up the paths, “how did you find us?”
“The magic that created this place is very weak as far as security measures go, I could see you all clear as day.” He chuckled to himself as Sirius slapped himself in the forehead.

“I should have remembered that stupid eye of yours Moody.” James piped up from behind Sirius, laughing to himself.

“Yeah well.” Moody grunted, he paused for a moment causing the group to run into him, “I’ll fix the security spells on that place.” He said gruffly, causing the three men to beam, “Wipe that smirk of your face Potter!”

“Sorry!” both father and son exclaimed and then burst into laughter. Moody eased into the hallway and the rest of the group followed suit.

“Well , well, well.” Came a voice from behind them.

“Sneaking around,”

“Very dodgy,”

“We’re hurt that you left us out.” The twins ended in unison.

“Fire in Merlin’s beard! Where did you boys come from?” Moody demanded, yelling in their faces.

“What’s wrong Moody?”

“Couldn’t see us?” George added a sly look on his face.

Moody squinted his eyes and glared at the boys, “How did you do it?” he demanded, using all his will power to not grab the boys by their shirt collars.

“Oh this,” began Fred

“and that,”

“and more than a little bit of magic”

The group gasped as suddenly where the twins had been standing there were two identical squirrels they scampered a bit down the hall, and then just a suddenly the Twins reappeared.

“We’ve been working on that one since Christmas!” Fred said proudly, “Bloody useful, I’m telling you.” He said as he looked around, making sure no one else had seen.

“Well that settles it then.” Minerva said with finality, nodding to the twins.

“We begin soon.” With out another word, she turned on her heal and walked away.