Harry Potter - Fanfiction

Year 3 - The Marauder's Map

Two weeks before the end of the term, the sky lightens suddenly to a dazzling, opaline white and the muddy grounds are revealed one morning covered in glittering frost.

Inside the castle, there is a buzz of Christmas in the air. Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher, has already decorated his classroom with shimmering lights that turns out to actually by fluttering fairies.

Everyone happily discussing their plans for the Christmas holidays.

To everyone's delight another Hogsmeade trip is scheduled for the very last weekend of the term.

"We can do all our Christmas shopping there!" says Hermione happily that Saturday morning, while we all stand and wait for Filch. "Mum and Dad would really love those Toothflossing Stringmints from Honeydukes!" she beams at me as the twins and I stand next to her and Ron.

All the students wrapped up in cloaks and scarves.

Filch arrives and begins leading us off. The twins staring at Harry as he walks back into the castle.

They tap me on the shoulder making me stop in my tracks.

"I reckon we should give Harry the map, what do you say?" says George as he motions towards the castle.

"So that he use it to get into Hogsmeade?" Fred looks on as if battling internally whether or not we should give it to him. With a groan he answers, "alright then, Nyx joining us?"

"Sure, why not," I answer as we trudge back to the castle.

Once inside we set off into a sprint after Harry. Only catching up to him along the third-floor corridor.

George and Fred grab either side of him and drag him into an empty classroom.

"What are you doing? Get off me!" Harry not realizing who they were.

George and Fred let go of Harry as I quietly close the door.

"Oh, it's you guys... How come you're not going to Hogsmeade?" asks Harry curiously.

"We've come to give you a bit of festive cheer before we go," says Fred, with a mysterious wink.

George beams at Harry. "Early Christmas present for you."

Fred pulls something from inside his cloak with a flourish and lays it on one of the desks. It is a large, square, very worn piece of parchment with nothing written on it. The twins and I have used the map countless times to spy on the teachers patrolling when doing our pranks.

"What's that supposed to be?"

"This, Harry, is the secret of our success," says George, patting the parchment fondly.

"It's a wrench, giving it to you," says Fred, "but we decided your needs greater than ours."

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

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

"A bit of old parchment!" gasps Fred, closing his eyes with a grimace as though Harry has mortally offended him. "Explain, George."

"Well... When we were in our first year, Harry... Young, carefree and innocent –"

Harry and I both snort at this. As I know for sure they are everything but innocent.

"– well, more innocent than we are now. We got into a spot of bother with Filch."

"We let off a Dungbomb in the corridor and it upset him for some reason –"