Chasing Love

Chapter Thirty-Six - The Marauders Map

Aaaaaaaah! Eliza shot up in her bed, sweat beading down her face as she panted irregularly trying to regain her normal breathing pattern. Angelina and Alicia were by her side quickly as they tried to comfort her. Staring forward, horror etched onto her face, she muttered, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry El, don't be sorry." Angelina told her as she rubbed her arm, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, fine." 

"What happened?"

"It was just a nightmare, just a nightmare." Eliza told her two closest friends, "Nothing to worry about."

"What was it about?" Alicia asked.

Shaking her head, Eliza replied, "It was nothing. I'm going to go and have a shower." She exited the bedroom leaving the two girls to stare at each other in worry.

Eliza stood underneath the warm water of the shower, her thoughts of nothing, her mind blank. When she got out she went straight back to her bed and looked up at the ceiling as she tried to fall back asleep. 

Hearing whispers Eliza glanced over to see Angelina and Alicia walking out of the room, letting out a sigh she got up and began to get changed - into a pair of black jeans and a white jumper - and she brushed her long, straight hair. Once she was done she went and sat down in the common room, nearly everyone had gone down for breakfast so it was empty. 

Oliver walked over to Eliza as he entered the room, "Why weren't you at breakfast?"

"I wasn't hungry." Eliza replied.

"You need to get all your energy" Oliver said to her before noticing her expression, "What's wrong Eliza?"

With a shake of her head, she looked away, "I'm fine."

"No you're not." Oliver told her.

Before she could reply the twins ran into the room and over to their best friend, "Come on El, we've got big plans today!" They grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the room, "See you later Oliver."

Hiding behind a humpbacked witch the twins watched carefully, "What are we doing?"

"Shush." Fred told her, "He's coming!" 

"Psst, Harry!"

"What are you doing?" Harry asked the, "How come you're not going to Hogsmeade?"

"We've come to give you a bit of festive cheer before we go."Fred said as he winked. "Come in here." The four went into an empty classroom and George closed the door quietly before turning to Harry. 

"Early Christmas present for you, Harry." 

Fred pulled out the map from inside his cloak and laid into onto of the desks. "What's that supposed to be?"

"This, Harry, is the secret of our success."George said as he patted the map fondly. 

"It's a wrench, giving it to you," Fred said to him. "But we decided last night, your need's greater than ours."

"Anyway, we know it by heart. We bequeath it to you. We don't really need it anymore."

"And what do I need with a bit of old parchment?" 

"A bit of old parchment!" Fred said as though he just said the worst thing ever. "Explain, George."

"Well, when we were in our first year, Harry - young, carefree, and innocent -" Harry snorted causing Eliza to chuckle, the three of them had never been innocent. "Well, more innocent than we are now - we got into a spot of bother with Filch."