when did the prank take place?

[jwcpgh]

No: HPFGUIDX 83294

> Kneasy:
> > It also causes me to wonder where the Gang got the idea of 
> becoming  Animagi.

> Pippin 
> Remus says they got it from him: " They did something for me 
> that would not only make my transformations not only bearable, 
> but the best times of my life. They became Animagi <snip> 
> [Dumbledore] never knew I had led three fellow students into 
> becoming Animagi illegally."PoA 18
<snip> 

Laura:

No, I don't believe that.  He says that PP&W "did something for him" 
but not that he asked them to do it.  His use of the phrase "I led" 
is hyperbole, I think.  I read this as Remus's guilt speaking.  It 
would be very out of character for him to encourage his friends to 
break rules on his behalf, especially such big ones.  On the other 
hand, James and Sirius would love nothing better than an excuse to 
learn the animagus spell and use it to break even more rules.  As 
Remus says in another context, they'd have thought it highly amusing.