The Raven's Call

The Plan

Over the next few weeks, the five of us begin hatching the plan. Fred and George tell us about a room; The Room Of Requirement..

["Wait, what's the Room of Requirement?" "The Room of Requirement is a room on the seventh floor that appears when someone is in very great need of it, and contains what that individual needs at that time."]

For us to plan and prepare while Alex spent all his free time in detention, making sure to leave the restricted section for last. We used it for everything from Quidditch Training, to learning spells, studying and even just to hang out. 

Over the course of those few weeks, Asteria had brought in various ingredients for the Sleeping Drought, and the twins figured out how to give the Draught to Filch. Their plan was for me to give him the Draught; disguised as a pot of tea. We heard Filch loves tea. And I was prepared to take the fall for Alex. 

***

Friday, September 27th 1991

It's time.

After double Potions in the afternoon, the five of us meet back in the Room of Requirement. The potion had been brewing over the past hour and the twins had finished it for us while we were in class, so I begin brewing the tea. It only takes a few minutes to boil.  "Perfect.." I smile to myself, as I begin carrying the teapot with me down to the library.

I see Filch heading into the Library just ahead of me. "Mr. Filch!" I call out to him, quickening my pace a little, careful not to spill the tea. "What do you want?" Filch growls as he turns to face me. I smile my most innocent smile. "I made you some tea!" I say, holding the teapot out to him. "What kind is this?" He asks, it's only natural he'd be hesitant. "Just your average English tea." I smile brighter as he takes the teapot by the handle. "Thank you.. Mr..?" "Grey, sir." "Thank you, Mr. Grey." I nod and turn heel to leave, a grin on my face as I give Alex, who was now walking past me, a thumbs up.

Now all we have to do is wait, so I meet back up with Asteria and the twins in The Room Of Requirement. We sit in silence, my leg begins bouncing with anxiety. "I wish we could contact him somehow.. I'm getting nervous.." The twins look at each other before looking at me. "Well, I don't know about contacting.." Fred began. "But we have a way to keep an eye on him." George continues. Fred pulls out an empty piece of parchment and hands it to me, Asteria watches over my shoulder. "What's this?" I ask, staring at it. George taps his wand onto the paper, the two of them recite the words. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." The parchment comes alive, 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 criss-crossed, 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.'

"We owe them so much." George says with a smile. 
"Hang on. This is Hogwarts. And that... No. Is that really...?" I ask, pointing to a set of footprints.

"Dumbledore."
"In his study."
"Pacing."
"Does that a lot."
The twins say, alternating sentences.
"So, you mean this map shows...?" I ask, trailing off.

"Everyone."
"Everyone?" Asteria asks.
"Everyone."
"Where they are."
"What they're doing."
"Every minute."
"Of every day."
"Brilliant! Where'd you get it?"  Asteria exclaims.
"Nicked it from Filch's office, of course, first year."  Fred says proudly.

I flick through the pages to find Alex, seeing him exploring around the Restricted Section, with Filch unmoving in a corner, and Mrs. Norris, his cat, also unmoving on one of the bookshelves. I sigh in relief, seems Filch is still out cold. 

"Oh, and when you're done, just give it a tap and say... Mischief Managed." George smiles to me, tapping the map with his wand again, the ink disappearing. "Otherwise, anyone can read it." The twins speak in unison. I nod and hand the map back to them, though they stop me. "Keep it, seems like the three of you will be needing it more than us." Fred says with a grin. I smile and fold the map in half before placing it in my pocket as I hear Asteria mumble. "Wicked."

***

After our free time; we head down to the great hall to eat dinner, with Alex finding us and taking a seat a few moments later. The tables lined themselves with mountains of food, though I could see a look of excitement on Alex's face, and it wasn't for the food. He couldn't contain himself and launched one of the books onto the table in front of us. I quickly snatch it and hide it in my lap. "What are you doing!?" I ask him in a hushed, but harsh tone. "I'm sorry, I just can't hold in my excitement! I have to know what's inside.. but.." his voice trails off for a moment. "I don't know how to open it." I look down at the book in my lap, examining it for a moment. "Oh, that's easy." I say, taking out my wand for only a moment. I move the wand in a circular, clockwise motion before flicking it down and whisper. "Alohomora." The book then unlocks in my lap. 

"Wow, that was the unlocking charm, correct?" Alex asks in a whisper. I nod, "Standard book of Spells, chapter seven." I say, grinning as I open the book under the table, just in the middle. I read over the spell that I had just come across, memorising it in only a few seconds. "Interesting.." I mumble, closing the book once more. "Well?" He asks. "Was it worth grabbing, after all?"  I nod again. "Definitely." I try to get back to my dinner, though it was promptly interrupted by a certain blonde Slytherin, and not the nice one. 

There, Draco stood behind the twins and Asteria, his goons beside him. "Asteria." Draco spoke, placing a hand on her shoulder, his knuckles were white, so he must've been holding on tight. "What are you doing sitting here with the blood traitors-" He stares at the twins before turning his attention to myself and Alex. "-a half blood and a filthy little Mud blood." He said that last word between gritted teeth.  I keep my head low, though I stare up at him beneath my brows. I had read about that word before, I knew the meaning.. though I had never heard anyone use it before, let alone straight to my face. I ball my hands into fists, feeling anger rise up inside me.

"Let me go, Draco." Asteria demands through gritted teeth. "Why should I?" Draco retorts as I notice Asteria reach for her wand. I could see Fred about to get up, but I promptly interrupt. "Leave her alone, Malfoy." I tell him, the sound of my voice seemed to annoy him, I could see his eye twitch. "How dare you speak to me, Mud blood." He growls. I slowly begin to stand, sliding the spell book back to Alex. "You'd do well to watch your next words carefully." I warn him. Draco turns up his nose at me. "What are you going to do, Mud blood? Hurt me?" He teases before him and his goons laugh. "You need some better insults, Malfoy. Or is 'Mud blood' the only word in your vocabulary?" I ask as my hand brushed past a large bowl of mashed potato. Draco's brows furrowed as he pointed his wand at me. I could see him open his mouth to say something; but I had had enough. "Oppugno." I whisper as the bowl of mashed potato launched itself at Draco, covering Crabbe, Goyle and himself head to toe.

Draco screamed as he slipped on some potato, falling on his arse. "MY FATHER WILL HEAR ABOUT THIS!" He practically sobbed as the three of them scurry away. "High five?" Alex asks with a chuckle as he raises his hand. I'm about to reciprocate, but was beckoned over by my head of house, Professor Flitwick. "Now it's my turn to get in trouble." I whisper before walking towards the teachers' table, students chattering all around me.