Make Me.

Book 3 - Chapter 26

Remus tossed the faded parchment onto his office desk and sank into the chair behind it. Ellie followed suit, holding her tongue until she knew she was allowed to speak. Remus took a few moments, face hardened, as he sipped out of the goblet, sitting quietly, thinking. Ellie had to bring Marshall down off her shoulder and into her lap, fidgeting with his tiny fingers as she waited, staring at the side of her father's face.

Remus cleared his throat as the empty goblet clunked down onto the desk. Marshall scurried up and out of Ellie's lap and dove into the damp cup, curling up into a ball inside of it.

"How much do you know about this?" Remus asked bluntly, breaking the silence, picking the map up off the desk.

"I know Harry got it from Fred and George for his birthday," said Ellie, reciting her knowledge, voice monotone. "I know it's a map of the castle - that it has all the secret entrances in and out of the place on it. It was only a couple of minutes ago that I found out it talked in your handwriting. Were the insults your idea? Moony?"

Remus looked sternly across the desk at Ellie. She only returned the gaze. Remus sighed.

"I don't see why you're so upset about Harry having an old map of yours and your mates," Ellie said, offhandedly, rolling her eyes.

"An old map?" Remus gaped. He was searching Ellie's face. "You haven't seen it - have you?"

"No -" Ellie stuttered out, unsure what her father was talking about.

Remus sighed again, this time louder than before. He took out his wand, placed the tip of it on the map, and motioned with his other hand for Ellie to get closer. Ellie stood from her seat and leaned over the desk, head hovering over the old parchment, insults still hanging loosely onto the cover.

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good," Remus said, enunciating his words clearly.

At once the four lines of insults faded into the paper and were replaced by a set of new words. Ellie read them to herself as they appeared.

"Messers Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs - Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers - are proud to present - The Marauder's Map."

A detailed drawing of Hogwarts inked into life and before Ellie could even take in everything on the cover, Remus dropped his wand onto the desk and opened the parchment. It unfolded too many times to count and Ellie's jaw practically hit the desk as she took in the sight.

It was Hogwarts - a map just like Harry said - but it was so much more than that. It showed every corridor, every room, every broom cupboard, every secret passageway hidden behind portrait holes - even the one she frequented with Fred, that she thought was completely secret. And even more than that, the map was charmed to show every person, animal, and ghost that was inside the castle's walls. Ellie's eyes scanned the document, landing on the Dark Arts Tower. There were three small black dots, huddled together inside the Defense Against the Dark Arts office. Thick curly writing was hovering above them: three names, one for her, one for Remus, one for Marshall. Ellie took a half step backwards from the desk and her dot moved.

"I - I didn't know it did that," she said quietly.

"The consequences would be severe - if it happened to fall into in the wrong hands," Remus tutted, his own eyes drawing circles over the map. Ellie stood silently, watching Harry and Ron's dots return to the Gryffindor common room. They stopped short, outside the portrait, joined by Hermione. Ellie squinted, taking everything in.

"Fred and George - they didn't need the map anymore. They practically have the castle memorized. . . why would it matter if Sirius Black got hold of it? If he helped make it?" Ellie asked, looking at her father.