I am not the heir of Slytherin, I am Slytherin.

Chapter 15

Harry woke up at 5 am the next morning, brushed his teeth, showered and got into his school robes. He knew it was risky to tell Ron, but he had to. Even if he was Salazar, he didn't want to lose his first friend in this life.

Harry went inside his trunk to get the potion to cure the Longbottoms. It wasn't something easy to convince Augusta Longbottom or the staff of St Mungo's, but he would find a way. He went back outside and woke Neville up, who grumbled but woke up. Harry waited in the common room for Neville to get ready, where he met Hermione doing some 'light reading'.

"Morning Rena!" He greeted, coming up to her

"Morning Sal," She replied without looking up from her book. Harry waited for a few moments, but she did not acknowledge his presence further, so her snatched the book, marked the page and snapped it shut. Hermione let out a whine and gave Harry a glare that would have him stuttering if not for his occlumency, also he was very used to that glare.

"Come on Rena, studying all the time. Do something else for a change."

"Says the dungeon bat who doesn't do anything but brew."

"That's not me, that is Snape," Harry responded with a grin and Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Whatever. Now give me my book back!"

"Nope. I want to talk to you something about our...little secret," Harry said, casting a privacy charm.

"Then pray tell what it is."

"I think we need to tell about it to Lady Longbottom. At least, me and Neville."

"Wait what? Why?"

"Er, well, you see...Neville's parents were victims of the Wizarding war twelve years ago, but they didn't die. There is a potion to help recover them, but they are in the Wizarding hospital and we need Lady Longbottom's permission. It was a potion lost in time and I am the only one who has it or the instructions to brew it. Do you agree that me and Neville, at least, should tell her the secret?" Harry explained the situation and waited for her input. After all, she was the wise one.

"I think you are right. As long as she doesn't tell anyone, it won't harm us. It will also allow us to meet Neville during the holidays. So take a yes from me and return my book now."

Harry shook his head fondly and hesitantly returned the book. He huffed and began staring into the common room fire when Neville, Fred and George came down.

"Morning to-" Fred began.
"You secretive-" George continued.
"chaps who-"
"Are hiding-"
"Something." They finished together giving the three a look.

"W-what do you mean?" Neville asked the two.

"We are not-""Sure what we mean-""But you have-""Some sort of-""Secret identity."

"We don't know what you are talking about," Harry said, his voice more confident than he felt.

"Do not-""Lie to-""Us Ickle Harrykins-""Because we have a-""Way to find imposters-""Though you are not imposters-""But still you have-""Multiple identities."

"Whatever. What are you talking about? I haven't heard of such a thing," Hermione became Miss Hermione Curious.

"Do you-""Promise not to-""Tell anyone else about our-""Pranking idols' ways-""We are using?"

"Fine. Promise." Harry said with a sigh.

Fred pulled something from inside his cloak with a flourish and laid it on the table. It was a large, square, very worn piece of parchment with nothing written on it. The three founders, suspecting one of Fred and George's jokes, stared at it. 

"What's that supposed to be?" Harry asked.

"This, Harry, is the secret of our success," said George, patting the parchment fondly. 

"And just how do you prank and find imposters with a bit of old parchment?" Harry asked.

"A bit of old parchment!" said Fred, closing his eyes with a grimace as though Harry had mortally offended him. "Explain, George."

"Well . . . when we were in our first year, Harry — young, carefree, and innocent —"

Harry, Neville and Hermione snorted. They doubted whether Fred and George had ever been innocent.

"— well, more innocent than we are now — we got into a spot of bother with Filch."

"We let off a Dungbomb in the corridor and it upset him for some reason—""So he hauled us off to his office and started threatening us with the usual—""— detention —""— disembowelment —""— and we couldn't help noticing a drawer in one of his filing cabinets marked Confiscated and Highly Dangerous." 

"Don't tell me —" said Neville, starting to grin.

"Well, what would you've done?" said Fred. "George caused a diversion by dropping another Dungbomb, I whipped the drawer open and grabbed —this."

"It's not as bad as it sounds, you know," said George. "We don't reckon Filch ever found out how to work it. He probably suspected what it was, though, or he wouldn't have confiscated it."

"And you know how to work it?" Hermione asked.

"Oh yes," said Fred, smirking. "This little beauty's taught us more than all the teachers in this school."

"You're winding us up," said Harry, looking at the ragged old bit of parchment. 

 "Oh, are we?" said George.

He took out his wand, touched the parchment lightly, and said, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

And at once, thin ink lines began to spread like a spider's web from the point that George's wand had touched. They joined each other, they crisscrossed, they fanned into every corner of the parchment; then words began to blossom across the top, great, curly green words, that proclaimed: Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers are proud to present THE MARAUDER'S MAP

Harry gasped in realization when he heard the phrase. Sirius had told him about it after all.

"The Marauders' Map! How did I not realize it before?"

"You know about-""Our priceless artifact-""Ickle Harrykins?"

"Yes! Of course I do! My father was Prongs after all..." Harry slapped a hand over his mouth, a second too late.

"The Great Prongs-""Was James Potter?!"

"Well, yeah. Padfoot told me about the map."

"Are we-""Correct to-""Assume that-""The Great Padfoot-""Is your Godfather-""Sirius Black?"

"Yes."

The twins got of the couch in sync and reached to grasp Harry's feet.

"Oh Great heir of the Marauders! We are not worth it!" They began chanting together. Harry just grabbed their shoulders and pushed them back to the couch.

"Shut up idiots."

"Harrykins, now that we have found the person who is the Heir of the Great Marauders, take the map," George said

"Are you guys sure?" Harry asked raising an eyebrow.

"Yes Prongs Jr. We are sure. We have memorized the map anyway," Fred waved him off.

"Just give us the opportunity of meeting one or more Marauders. Do you know who the other two are?" George asked.

"Moony, I know where he is. You will meet him sooner than you think. As of Wormtail, Peter Pettigrew."

The twins shared a disgusted look at the identity if one of their idols before bowing to Harry again and left the common room.

Harry grabbed the map and searched their names. He let out a groan of frustration when he saw 'Harry Potter/ SS', 'Neville Longbottom/ GG', and 'Hermione Granger/ RR'. Luna's name was 'Luna Lovegood/ HH'. He was glad that the map only showed the initials instead of the whole names.

Though he didn't think that it would take the twins long to figure it out.