PRANKSTER [1] ↝ C. DIGGORY

thirteen

"Are you seeing what I'm seeing?" George asked, pointing to where sets of footprints were suddenly appearing in the snow near the fountain outside the castle, making a trail towards the path to Hogsmeade.

"Silly boy," Fred said with a knowing laugh, the two moving away from where the triplets had been sitting and getting on either side of the invisible figure, grabbing onto it and dragging it towards the nearby shed, amidst the protests it began emitting.

"Guys, come on!" Harry's muffled voice sounded from under his invisibility cloak. "I'm trying to get to Hogsmeade!"

"Oh, we know," Fred assured the boy as Clary looked around nervously, making sure nobody was watching.

"We've got a better way." George agreed.

Clary followed the boys as they dragged Harry into a nearby shed and quickly locked the door behind them. Fred and George finally set the boy down, and it appeared as if he had finally quit struggling.

"Now Harry, come out and join the big kids." Fred and George said in unison, reaching up to pull the cloak off him as Clary crossed her arms over her chest, watching his flustered expression with a grin.

"What are we doing in here?" Harry questioned, looking around the dingy old shed suspiciously.

"Cece, I believe it's in your bag." Fred said as Clary pulled the old piece of parchment from her messenger bag, passing it to her brother as he then handed it to the younger boy.

"What's this rubbish?" Harry asked, eyeing the old parchment with a disgusted look.

"'What's this rubbish' he says," George said with a laugh. "that there is the secret to our success. Quite hard giving it to you mate, believe me, but we've decided your needs are greater than ours. Cece, would you do the honors?"

The Weasley girl nodded with a smile, pulling out her wand and aiming it at the parchment.

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

Harry's eyes widened in awe as the blood red ink spread across the parchment, revealing the mystery that lay in its pages below.

"Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs are proud to present the Marauder's Map." Harry read slowly, looking back up at the triplets with an eyebrow raised.

"We owe them so much." George said.

"Is this Hogwarts?" Harry asked, and they nodded.

"Everything and everyone." Clary explained.

"Is that Dumbledore?" Harry asked, pointing towards where the older wizard's name moved about within the headmaster's office.

"In his study." Fred answered.

"Pacing." George continued on.

"He does that a lot." Clary reassured Harry.

"It shows what they're doing and where they are every minute of every day." Fred and George chorused.

"Brilliant!" Harry exclaimed. "Where'd you get it?"

"Nicked it from Filch's office our first year." Fred explained.

"Now, there are seven secret passages out of the castle," George explained to the boy. "you'll want this one, the One Eyed Witch Passage. It'll take you straight to Honeydukes' cellar."

"And just remember, Harry, when you're done be sure to say "mischief managed," Fred said adamantly, aiming his wand back at the map as it started to disappear, allowing Harry to fold it back up and slip it into his coat pocket. "otherwise anyone can read it."