my best friends brother - fred weasley

vii. harry

That night I had stayed up late, finishing the study I was supposed to do with Cedric. I was almost finished with my Divination notes when Harry walked down the stairs, wand and Marauders map in hand. He didn't see me sunken into one of the couches and he was headed towards the exit. 

"Where are you going, Harry?" I sit up. He jumps slightly and turns to face me.

"I-uh, I'm just trying out the map." He smiles, still backing away.

"Oh, well can I come? This has been the death of me." I gesture to my pile of notes. 

"I mean... if you want? I am kind of looking for someone though." He hesitates.

"It's alright, you won't even know I'm there. Please?" I beg on my knees. We wander out into the halls, silent with our wands up, lighting the way. The portraits we past grumble and groan at us like the old men they are, but I keep my promise and don't make a sound. I almost walk into Harry as he stops in his tracks, switching is gaze from the map, to in front of him. 

"I know I said I'd be quiet, but is the person you're looking for dangerous?" I whisper as quietly as I can in his ear.

"I don't know." He holds his wand out, searching and continues on his way. "I mean, he's supposed to be..." I peer over and see that someone is right in front of us.

"Peter Pettigrew? Isn't he-"

"Dead." Harry confirms. He looks up to where Pettigrew is supposed to be standing and jumps back when his own reflection stares back at him. I keep looking at the a as the portraits continue their complaining.

"Harry, Snape's coming." I whisper to snap him out of his confused daze. 

"Mischief managed. Nox." Our wands darken and we're against the wall, trying to hide from Snape. When the man illuminates his wand, making us all jump.

"Potter. May. What are you two doing, wandering the corridors at night?" He growls.

"Sleepwalking." Harry says on the spot.

"I uh, was coming after Harry to make sure he was safe, Sir." I follow.

"How similar you two are to your fathers. Potter, exceedingly arrogant, strutting around the castle." He turns his head to stare me down. "May, an untrustworthy liar." I scoff in response, not sure if he was accurate.

"My father didn't strut, and nor do I." Harry retorts. He keeps sassing Snape as we turn out our pockets and Snape interrogates us. Harry holds out the map, raising Snape's suspicion. "It's just a spare bit of parchment." 

"Reveal your secrets." Snape aims his wand at the map, words start appearing. "Read it." Snape orders. 

"Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs offer their compliments to Professor Snape." Harry reads.

"And request that he keep his abnormally large nose out of other peoples business." I finish. Snape starts to insult us as Professor Lupin interrupts.

"Professor Snape?"

"Professor Lupin. Out for a walk in the moonlight, are we?" Snaps back. Lupin redriects his attention to Harry and I.

"Are you two alright?"

"I have just confiscated this curious artifact. Take a look, Lupin, it appears to be full of dark magic."

"I don't believe so," Lupin laughs. "It appears to just be a bit of parchment that insults anyone that tries to read it. A Zonko product, perhaps. If you had a life outside of the castle, you'd understand professor." Lupin continues to laugh, heightening the tension between the two professors. "Nevertheless, I shall investigate after all, it is my area of expertise as professor of defense against the dark arts. Agree, Severus?" He holds the map out of Snapes reach. He bids his goodbyes to Snape and asks us to follow him.