Lupin's True Love

December 21, 1973

James and Veronica stood on the front steps to the castle as they watched Remus and Sirius being carried away to the train. James scowled at his 'little sister' as she sighed wistfully. James thought it was awful that Thomas and Evelyn both had to work over the holidays. Veronica however knew the real reason. Voldemort had once again made a threat against those that were hiding her. She knew that the Potters, Remus, and Sirius could take care of themselves. She didn't want to add the burden of Voldemort possibly attacking while they were home from school.

"I can't believe Mum and Dad couldn't get off for Christmas." James followed Veronica back into the castle as the last carriage rolled out of sight.

"Believe it. They just want us to be safe." Veronica ran her hair through her hair. Normally it was tied back into either a ponytail or a braid but today she had left it loose and flowing down to her waist.

"What exactly did they write in that letter to Dumbledore?" James watched Veronica as she started up the stairs toward the common room.

"That they were unable to get off from work so they wanted us to stay here and stay out of trouble." Veronica undid her cloak the closer they got to the common room. "Besides, it'll be nice to have the common room to ourselves so we can study."

James followed after Veronica. "Of course, you want to study. You don't have a life."

"I have more of a life than you." Veronica stopped before the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"Password?" The Lady looked down at Veronica and James.

"Gryffindor's Pride." Veronica stepped back as the portrait swung open. She scrambled through the portrait hole and made her way over to the overstuffed sofa before the fireplace. "You need to learn to go with the flow, James. Sirius and Remus understood that Thomas and Evelyn had to work over the holidays." They don't know why the Potters had to work.

James flung himself into one of the chairs. "I suppose."

"Why does it matter anyway, James?"

"I just wanted to be at home for the holidays. It's not the same here."

"I know." Veronica climbed to her feet. "Look, I've got to go see Professor McGonagall. She promised to help me with something over the holidays. I'll see you later." Veronica practically ran to the portrait hole and disappeared, leaving James to stare into the blazing fire.

Veronica hurried done the corridors to the Transfiguration Professor's office. She knew that tonight she might be able to transform that very night. She had been practicing her form for well over a month and Professor McGonagall was very pleased with her progress. She knew that it was unheard of for a child like her to be able to transform but to be able to do it without really thinking was extremely rare. Just one more thing to make me different. Veronica raised her hand to knock on Professor McGonagall's office door.

"Come in." Professor McGonagall barely looked up as Veronica stepped into her office. "You will begin where you left off last time, Miss Croft."

Veronica nodded softly and sank to the floor. She closed her eyes and began to meditate. Professor McGonagall had told her that if she could focus her mind then it would make the transformation that much easier. Veronica focused on her lioness form and slowly felt fur begin to grow along her arms. Professor McGonagall looked up from the essays that she was grading when a loud purring filled the office. She glanced at Veronica and saw a lioness with a stripe of dark fur running down its back. Grey eyes focused on the professor and watched as she made her way over to the lioness.

"Very good, Miss Croft. You have completed your transformation. You are now going to train yourself to hold it for a while. You may feel exhausted by it but that is normal until you get used to it." Professor McGonagall patted the lioness's head before rising to her feet. "I will let you know when ten minutes have passed."

Veronica stood on her new paws and started to walk around the office. She stopped before the window that was at least a foot higher than her. She crouched low to the floor and jumped. She landed nimbly on the window sill and looked out at the snow covered grounds. She saw a deer enter the clearing just beyond the front steps. Her growl made Professor McGonagall look toward the window. Professor McGonagall shook her head slightly before climbing to her feet and swinging her cloak around her shoulders. Veronica jumped from the window sill and followed Professor McGonagall out the door. She bounded down the stairs toward the Front Hall. She slid to a stop before the front doors and pawed at the ancient wood. Professor McGonagall pushed open the door and let the lioness out into the snow. Veronica raced across the frozen ground to where she had seen the deer and started to sniff looking for any scent. She pawed at the snow slightly when she heard barking coming toward her. Fang broke through the trees of the Forbidden Forest and tackled Veronica to the ground. Veronica swiped at him and jumped away. They wrestled in the snow while Hagrid sat with Professor McGonagall on the front steps.

"So that's Veronica?" Hagrid watched the lioness chasing Fang around the clearing. "At least she can have fun in that form."

"Yes. She was watching something from the window." Professor McGonagall twisted her watch around so that she could look at the face. "Would you look at the time? She's been in that form for over three hours."

"Amazing. I remember you telling me once that most people can't hold their forms for more than half an hour."

"She is truly amazing." Professor McGonagall climbed to her feet and whistled. "Miss Croft, it's time to return to my office and call it a day."

The lioness gave a soft growl at Fang before following Professor McGonagall back into the castle. Veronica trotted beside Professor McGonagall and followed her back into her office. Veronica lay before the fire and slowing shifted back into her human form.

"That was incredible, Professor." Veronica held her hands out toward the fire and warmed herself as Professor McGonagall hung her cloak up to dry.

"Yes. You held your form for no less than three hours today. We'll work on making it last even longer next time." Professor McGonagall moved toward her desk. "I suggest you return to your common room for the rest of the evening."

"Yes, Professor." Veronica made her way to the door and hurried back to the Gryffindor common room. I think I've figured out how to get the guys to work on this. Veronica took the stairs to her room two at a time and rummaged through her trunk. She grinned like a maniac when she pulled out the book she had been looking for. The Behavior of Werewolves was where she had found out that werewolves didn't harm other animals. She laid the book beside her trunk before rummaging in it again. She pulled out a second book and read the title. How to become an Animagus was what Professor McGonagall had given her to read when she started to train. Veronica pulled her invisibility cloak over her and the books and made her way back to the common room. She smiled when she saw that James had left his book bag under one of the tables. She slid both books into his bag and hurried to her room. She flung her cloak back into her trunk and climbed into bed. She smiled to herself as she picked up her new copy of Return of the King and started to read.