Harry, Niamh, Ginny, and Mika were all sitting at the Slytherin table eating breakfast when Ron charged into the Great Hall, his face as red as his ears. The four watched in surprise as he stalked over to their table and hissed out a breath through his teeth.
Mika looked Ron up and down and said casually, “Yes?” not really wanting to piss off the ginger-headed boy even more than he looked. Though Harry was really the dangerous one when he was pissed off.
Ron glared at them then threw something down on the table in front of Niamh. The girl glared at the black ball sitting in the middle of her eggs then looked up at the boy.
“May I ask why there is a rather large and…ah, greasy ball of hair nestled in my eggs?”
Ron hissed out another breath and spat, “Your damn dog somehow got in our Tower and ate Scabbers!”
Niamh snorted and said, “Sirius wouldn’t eat your scrawny rat, Weasley. He’d look for something with some real meat on it!”
“And besides,” said Ginny, looking at her brother, “haven’t you always said that you hated having a stupid rat for a pet?”
Ron scowled and spat, “Sod off, Ginny.”
“Hey!” exclaimed Mika.
Harry rolled his eyes and looked up at Ron, eyes narrowed. “Look,” he said, “Sirius did’na eat Scabbers. I doan know how he got in the Tower but then again its not that hard to get in there. So, why doan ye got sit down at yer table and leave us to our own devices, hmm?”
Ron glared at Harry, who simply arched an eyebrow and cocked his head to the side. After a moment the ginger-haired boy let out a curse and turned on a heel, stalking off.
“Brilliant, Harry,” said Niamh with a smile. “Just brilliant.”
“Thank ye,” said Harry, poking at the ball of black fur with his finger. “And I do that tha’s Sirius’ hair.”
Ginny stared at him, jaw dropped, then stared, “But you said…”
“That was ter throw Ron off, Gin. But that is Sirius’ fur.”
“Why would he be in Gryffindor Tower?” asked Mika. “Or eat that fat rat?”
Harry frowned and shrugged, looking at the ball of fur in Niamh’s plate.
“I doan know. But I think we should find out.”
/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/
Hogsmeade weekend…againHarry sighed heavily and sat in the alcove he had taken as one of his hiding places. Niamh and Mika had gone down to Hogsmeade and had taken Sirius with him and Ginny was in the library doing research for the DADA paper. So Harry was alone with no one to talk to but Hedwig, as Jardin was nowhere to be found.
Unfortunately the snake was asleep in his pocket and left him alone.
Harry sighed again and leaned his head back against the cool stones of the alcove, closing his eyes. When he reopened them, someone was waving a hand in front of his face, causing him to leap backwards. Or try to. He ended up hitting his head against the top of the alcove and letting out a surprised yelp. Rubbing his head, he glared furiously at the grinning pair in front of him.
“Ye two! What in the sod was that for?”
George shrugged and Fred only grinned. Harry scowled at them then sighed. Scowls didn’t work on the Weasley twins. Not even those of a Snape, who Harry had the firm belief were gifted with the inborn ability to scowl in the most furious manner. Or snarl, snap, and sneer.
“Alright. What do ye two want?”
“Us?” asked George, placing a hand on his chest.
“We want nothing,” said Fred innocently.
“Uh-huh. And badgers can fly.”
The twins laughed and Harry half-smiled at them, waiting for their answer.
“Alright,” said Fred. “We wanted to give you something.”
“Very important it is,” said George.
“Very,” echoed Fred.
“Can’t be duplicated.”
“Amazing piece of work by four…”
“…fine gentlemen who work solely…”
“…for the good of…”
“Crooks like ye two?” asked Harry with a teasing smirk.
“Crooks?” exclaimed the twins.
“Never!”
“We prefer the term Hysterical Jokers.”
“Uh-huh. What’s this piece o’ work?”
Fred and George grinned at each other and Fred asked, “You want to do the honors, Gred?”
“Certainly, Forge,” replied George, pulling out his wand with a flourish.
Fred pulled out a scrap of yellowed paper and held it out to his twin, who placed the tip of his wand against it and said, “I solemnly swear I am up to no good.”
Harry sat up hurriedly as lines curved out from where George’s wand touched the paper, forming a spider web system of lines that resembled…a map? He blinked as words in bright green lettering wrote out at the top. They read:
Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief Makers are proud to present THE MARAUDER’S MAP “Bloody hell,” breathed Harry as he eyed the map, watching the little dot that was his father pace in his study. He saw a dot labeled Mrs. Norris wandering the third floor corridor and a cluster of dots that were color coded to make out the names. They were Frederick Weasley, George Weasley, and Harold Snape. He looked up at Fred and arched an eyebrow. “Frederick?” Fred’s ears tinged pink and he hissed, “Harold.” Harry held up his hands in surrender. “Okay, okay. No use o’ the full name.” He looked at the map again and saw a series of tunnels leading off of it. And if it was labeled right, they led right into… “Hogsmeade,” said George proudly, watching Harry as he gaped at the tunnels. “Seven in all,” said Fred, pointing at the tunnels. “Filch knows about these four and these two are blocked.” He pointed out the tunnels in question and lingered on the second. “The Whomping Willow’s planted right over the entrance to that one.” George pointed at the last tunnel and said, “But this one leads right into the cellar of Honeydukes. We’ve been using it for years.” Harry eyed the tunnel and saw it was behind the one-eyed witch on the third floor. Hedwig had mentioned something once abou that spot being cold… “Let me guess,” he said. “Ye stole this from Filch?” “Yep.” “Right out from under his nose.” “And yer showing it to me fer what?” asked Harry, arched an eyebrow at the pair. “We’re giving it to you.” “Yep. Long live the Magical Mischief Makers!” Harry laughed at the two and said, “Thank ye. Both o’ ye.” “Welcome!” chorused the twins. “Must be off now,” said George. “Yes,” said Fred. “Lots to buy!” “Candy…” “…and more candy…” “…and Dungbombs.”Harry shook his head at the two and waved them off, looking at the map in his hands as soon as they were gone. He eyed the tunnel into Honeydukes and leaned back in the alcove, a smile twitching across his lips.