Ten Questions (Harry Potter x Slytherin reader)

Chapter 28

The moment the invisibility cloak draped around us, Harry turned to face me.

"Alright. What I'm about to show you- nobody can know about it. I've had this map for about a year now- Fred and George gave it to me, actually, and-"

"Merlins beard, Potter, give me the damn thing!" I snatched the map straight out of his hand and unfolded it much more aggressive than necessary. The moment my eyes landed on the paper, my jaw dropped. Thin ink lines began to spread across the paper like a spiders web from the point that Harry's wand had touched. They joined each other, they crisscrossed, they fanned into every corner of the parchment; then great green words began to blossom across the top that proclaimed:

Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs, purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief- Makers are proud to present the Marauders map.

I looked up at Potter, dumbfounded.

"Is this...?"

He nodded. "It's called the Marauders map. My father used it to get around the school. It shows you where everyone is and if they're approaching you. With the invisibility cloak and this, going to the kitchens at night is a breeze."

"And here I was, thinking you were actually good at sneaking out." Potter rolled his eyes at the sarcastic comment, and I continued studying the map. It showed every moving detail of the Hogwarts castle and grounds. But the truly remarkable thing about it was the tiny ink dots moving around it, each labeled with a name in minuscule writing. Professor Dumbledore was pacing his study; Mad-Eye Moody was in the Potions classroom, while Mr. Filch was patrolling the second floor. And then there was us, Y/N Pucey and Harry Potter, standing only inches away from each other.

There were also several passages that were marked on the map that I had never seen nor encountered, though, that didn't surprise me too much, being that the castle was so massive that it would take a lifetime or more to fully discover its secrets.

Harry turned to face me. "The best passageway is probably the one that goes into Honeydukes," he said. "It's the only one I've ever tried, since Fred and George tell me the other ones are practically useless."

I shrugged. "You know more than I do. Lead the way, then."

Potter grinned at this. He pointed his wand at the map, then murmured, "Mischief managed." Upon casting the spell, the lines on the map began to disappear, and when they were all gone, he neatly folded the map, then pocketed it. I titled my head in confusion.

"Won't you need that?"

He shook his head. "I've done this a few times. I think I've memorized it at this point."

Not quite buying it, I reluctantly began to move forward. We walked together for a while in comfortable silence, passing by first and second years who were enjoying their weekend. It astonished me how well Potter moved through the castle, as if the place was second nature to him. He never hesitated whenever he decided to turn a corner, or when we needed to walk down a specific set of stairs. Navigating the school seemed like one of the few things he was good at apart from Quidditch. Then again, sneaking out and breaking school rules was all Potter seemed to do ever since the start of his first year. It was obvious from the confident expression on his face.

"It seems you've been doing this for a while," I commented a few minutes into the walk.

"Oh, you have no idea," Potter mumbled under his breath. "And apparently, my dad and his friends weren't much different from me, either." I watched his face carefully, waiting for a reaction at the mention of his father. If he was sad, he didn't show it. Perhaps he had gotten so used to talking about his parents that it didn't bother him anymore, or maybe he was just really good at hiding his emotions. Either way, I couldn't help but feel sympathy for him. Without really thinking about it, I felt my hands lace his. Harry glanced at me and smiled, giving my hand a small squeeze in return, causing my heart to beat a little faster.