THE RAVENCLAW PRINCESS

chapter 18 - marauder's map

Lyra's head lay propped up by her arm on the table in the Great Hall. The three courses of food she had just finished for dinner sat happily in her stomach. Her eyes focused down on her current re-read: The Great Gatsby.

Mieko sat down at the Ravenclaw table across from Lyra and regarded her curiously. It was only six and Lyra read only after eating. She had not lifted her head from the novel so he spoke, "hey, what's up?"

Lyra barely lifted her head and nodded slightly before focusing her eyes back on the novel.

"Hey!" Fred exclaimed sitting next to Mieko. He began talking to the boy about an essay they had to complete for Herbology. Lyra, who had refused to look up, now frowned at her book. Fred was great, but Lyra couldn't care less about the stupid Herbology essay she finished earlier with Charlotte. Fred was also unnecessarily loud.

Apparently Fred didn't want to be talking alone. "What's going on with you, Tonks?"

Lyra pursed her lips, closed her book slowly and glared at Fred. His eyes widened. She faked a smile then scowled as she said, "Well, the gods decided I must be a woman and then biology decided that because I am a woman I must apparently suffer for a few days every month." She stood, book in hand and snapped at the boys, "that's what's up!"

A week later in the Gryffindor common room, Lyra sat criss cross in the corner of the couch with her Potions scroll in her lap. George sat on the armchair to her left, Charlotte was next to her on the couch, Mieko was in the armchair across from George, and Iliana and Fred were spread out on the ground in front of the fireplace.

By Charlotte's insistence they were working on assignments for class and by Lyra's request they were not in the library.

"Honestly Lyra, are you going to work on that essay or just sit with it in your lap?" Charlotte prodded. Lyra was in fact sitting in the corner of the couch with her Potions essay in her lap and the Marauder's Map open in her hands.

"Careful, Picquery, she may yell at you if you ask questions," Fred mocked.

Lyra rolled her eyes, "for Merlin's sake, Fred. You were unnecessarily loud and I had a valid reason for yelling at you."

Fred's mouth opened to respond but Charlotte continued as though he had never interrupted her in the first place. "Lyra, I'm serious. This year, our scores count for so much more because-"

"-Because OWLs are happening at the end of the year and we absolutely must be prepared for them!" everyone chorused in unison, giggling as they finished reciting Charlotte's recurring lecture.

"Very funny, but seriously. Lyra-"

"Char, what do you want me to do? I hate potions and it's not due till Wednesday. The only reason I'm doing well in that class is out of spite because-"

"Adrian fucking Pucey is the most god awful person on the planet and I have to beat him because I already have my victory party for the end of seventh year planned out!" everyone except Lyra finished her repetitive dialogue with a roll of their eyes. This time however, they were more irritated than they had been with Charlotte. Because though Charlotte's lecture had started this year, Lyra's had been constant since third year.

"I can just do it this wee-"

"Lyra Kalina Tonks you better not have forgotten RAHCOTFWOD (pronounced rah-cot-f-wod) because I swear to Merlin we are not skipping that," Mieko scolded.

RAHCOTFWOD, Reading and Hot Chocolate over the First Weekend of December, was Lyra and Mieko's annual tradition which began first year. Every first weekend of December they sat in the Ravenclaw common room reading whatever was available from the common room's selection with constant breaks for hot chocolate and sometimes coffee. They would leave only for meals, though sometimes they forgot about that, and would fall asleep in the common room unceremoniously whenever their eyes grew heavy.

"Is it already December? Alright, alright, get off my arse. I'll work on the stupid essay."

She grumbled other incoherent phrases about Snape and the unnecessary subject while getting to work.

A few hours later at 2 a.m., George, Fred, and Lyra were the only ones left in the common room. Iliana, Mieko, and Charlotte had turned in for the night and left the common room. Charlotte, like always, told Lyra if she was too tired she could come crash in the girls' dorm. Lyra, like always, politely declined as she liked venturing back to Ravenclaw Tower. The strange quiet of the castle at night differed drastically from the bustling during the day and it was something she never got bored of.

"Harry's really bummed," George said.

"Well I'd be too if I couldn't go to Hogsmeade," Fred chimed in.

Lyra whose head was resting on the back of the couch, suddenly snapped to sit upright drawing the boys' attention. "Why don't we give them the map?!"

"What? Have you lost it?"

"Think about it, we don't need it as much now as we have the whole thing memorized pretty much. Besides we will be leaving Hogwarts at some point and better we give it to some younger year that we actually care about than some rando!" Lyra grew more excited as she spoke and the twins quickly grew invested in her explanation.

"She makes a good point, Forge."

"Yeah, yeah and besides with everything Harry's been through so far, he needs it more than we do now."

"Great! Alright boys, I'm going to retire for the night," Lyra began gathering her scrolls.

"Take the map," George offered.

"I'm fine, I can use the prefect badge if I need to. Besides you'll probably see Harry before I do so give it to him next time you see him!"