Planning the Future
Soon after the first patronus lesson Harry had with Remus, Draco and Harry found themselves preparing for another Quidditch match.. No surprise to Harry, Finnigan, Zabini, Theodore Nott, Gregory Goyle, and Vincent Crabbe showed up to the game dressed up as Dementors. No, it was what happened next that surprised the whole Trio. Professor Snape ran over to the students, now on the ground because of Harry's Stag Patronus. After checking if they were hurt, he took ten points off Slytherin from each of them and gave them detention with Professor McGonagall. The quintet of Slytherins looked extremely surprised, and ran away cowing. Only Draco saw the smirk on Professor Snape's face as they retreated. The rest of the Gryffindor vs. Ravenclaw match went off without a hitch.
After the quidditch match, Hermione realized that the end of the year was a lot closer than she would have liked.
"Harry! We have a ton of revision to do! We can't just laze around doing what we like." Hermione scolded an idle Harry, whom had sat down and started petting Dragon. Draco rolled his eyes.
"Hermione Granger, we are at the top of all our classes, not to mention you and I already aced all our classes last time" Draco hissed, looking around to make sure no one else heard him. "With all the studying Harry has already done so far, he should do fine on our exams. Calm down and go pet your monster." He finished. Hermione looked affronted.
"He is not a monster. Isn't that right Crookshanks?" She cooed as she picked up her beast and sat down. "I wasn't only talking about school, you know. We really need to get a certain someone on the same page for the upcoming Shrieking Shack adventure, so that nothing goes wrong." She clarified. Harry, Draco, and Dragon sighed.
"Let's get going then." Harry declared. They all got up and made for the door. "I'll call for Luna," Harry decided.
"Why do we need Luna?" Draco asked.
"Harry! I know you have a crush on her, but she has nothing to do with the Shrieking Shack! She doesn't need to come." Hermione established.
"I'm not saying we drag her along with us that night. What I am saying is that we barely see her. Why can't she come and hang out?" Harry expressed. Hermione huffed.
"Fine invite her. She's not coming that night, however!" Hermione exclaimed.
"Who doesn't need to be where?" Luna inquired, walking around the corner smiling. As she came over to the trio, she squatted down and greeted Dragon. "Hello." She spoke dreamily.
"Hey Luna! We were about to go to the Come and Go room to make plans for catching Pettigrew. Want to come along? You don't have to help catch Pettigrew." Harry paused. "In fact, it would be better if you didn't help us that night. That doesn't mean you can't come and help us plan." Harry explained. Luna smile grew wider.
"Of course, Harry, I'm not doing anything now and my dorm mates have decided to ignore me again. So, why not?" She told the group.
Hermione looked sad at Luna. "I'm sorry your dorm mates are ignoring you again. Don't worry about them. We think you're cool! Come on." Hermione commanded as she threw her arm around Luna's shoulders. When they got to the seventh-floor corridor, Draco paced back and forth three times. When they walked in, Dragon turned in to Sirius and sat down.
"So, what happens that night that we need to plan?" Draco enquired.
"Well, first we went down to Hagrid's hut to support him and Buckbeak. You, of course know what happens right before that, don't you?" Hermione remarked, smiling cheekily.
Draco grimaced, moving his hand to touch his nose. "Yeah, you have got one heck of a right hook there, Granger." Draco complimented grimly. Hermione smiled. Sirius doubled over laughing.
"You got punched by a girl? You got punched by Hermione, of all people? No offence, of course." He told the girl. She just smiled.
"None taken. Anyway, we had tea at Hagrid's, and then Scabbers turned up. We hurried out when the minister gets there, but Scabbers bit Ron's hand and escaped. We chased after him until you got there, Sirius. Ron caught the rat but then you grabbed Ron's leg with your teeth and drug him to the Shrieking Shack. Harry and I, after fighting the Whomping Willow, followed you down.
"When we got there, you started talking about killing something, which we automatically thought was Harry, until Remus got there. Then, he hugged you and started saying how they couldn't kill anyone until Harry understood. Right after that, Professor Snape showed up, ready to turn Sirius in. Harry disarmed the professor but it hit him so hard, he was thrown back and knocked out. Then Sirius explained how he was innocent, we went out, but it was a full moon and Remus transformed.
"Peter escaped while we focused on not getting killed by a werewolf. Sirius and Harry were attacked by dementors, and then Harry and I relived the night again to save everyone!" She finished. Draco and Sirius sat back in their seats stunned.
"Yup, that pretty much sums it up." Harry laughed. Luna started chuckling with him. Draco, who had retained his wits, looked confused.
"How did you relive the night again?" Draco queried. He thought about it for a minute and then stood up in shock. "You have a time turner! That explains why you can take all those classes and relive a night over again. Merlin! Am I that stupid now that I'm a Gryffindor?" Draco wondered.
"Hey!" all the Gryffindor's yelled at once.
"That's beside the point. First, we need to decide who will cast 'Expelliarmus' at Professor Snape." Hermione redirects.
"I should probably knock out Sev. He can't hate me. I'm his godson." Draco decided.
"No, I wanna knock out Professor Snape." Harry argued.
"No, I should knock him out." Draco countered.
"No, I should!" Harry exclaimed.
"No, me!"
"No, me!"
"The point is not to knock Professor Snape out!" Hermione interrupted, trying to get the boys to stop fighting.
"Yeah, that would make for an awkward family reunion. 'Draco tell us about the time when you knocked out your godfather again.'" Draco imitated. "Yeah, that just isn't going to happen."
"That settles it. I'll knock out Professor Snape." Harry stated with completion.
"Harry, Professor Snape will be the only adult that night that isn't going to turn in to a werewolf." Hermione reminded them.
"Sirius is an adult!" Harry claimed. Draco, Hermione and even Luna looked at Harry. He started cracking up laughing.
"Yeah, I can't even keep a straight face with that one." Harry snickered.
"I am an adult!" Sirius argued.
"But you're also a convicted mass murder who doesn't have a lot of authority." Draco reminded him. Sirius glared but nodded in agreement.
"Nevertheless, what do you need me to do?" Sirius asked, turning his attention to Harry.
"Well we need to get everyone to the Shrieking Shack. I doubt Draco is going to let you pull him by the leg, so…." Harry trailed off looking at Hermione to finish for him.
"We will need you to chase Pettigrew into the Shrieking Shack, without killing him." Hermione reprimanded strongly.
"You and Moony, always taking the fun out of things." The animagus whined. Harry shook his head and rolled his eyes. They spent the rest of the night talking about the end of term.
When they decided to go back to their dormitories, it was well past curfew. Harry, being a gentleman, told Luna he could take her back using the map so that they wouldn't run into trouble.
"Sure, Harry." Luna responded.
"We can come with!" Hermione exclaimed.
"No 'Mione, let the love birds finish off their date in piece." Draco teased, smiling at the blushing Harry, who was the only other person whom had heard the blond.
"Fine, we'll take Dragon with us. See you in the common room, Harry." Hermione said, grabbing her Dragons by their collars and walking back to Gryffindor Tower.
Harry took the second year Ravenclaw back to her tower without much trouble. He gave her a hug goodnight and turned around to walk away. He smiled to himself the rest of the way back to Gryffindor tower, until he happened upon an unforeseen problem.
"Mister Potter, taking a stroll in the moonlight, are we?" a smooth silky voice came from behind him. Harry grimaced. Why was this necessary? He turned around and shoved a disbanded Marauders Map back in his pocket.
"No, I… sleep walk." Harry lied.
"Oh really? Accio parchment." The professor said. He looked over the old Parchment and pointed his wand at it. "Show me your secrets."
Mr. Moony presents his compliments to professor Snape, and begs him to keep his abnormally large nose out of other people's business.
Mr. Prongs agrees with Mr. Moony, and would like to add that Professor Snape is an ugly git.
Mr. Padfoot would like to register his astonishment that an idiot like that ever became a professor.
Mr. Wormtail bids Professor Snape good day, and advises him to wash his hair, the slime ball.
As the dark man read this, he looked up. "What is the meaning of this, Mr. Potter?" Right then Remus came in to sight.
"Hello Severus, Harry. What is going on?" Remus enquired.
Snape huffed and showed Moony the parchment. Harry chuckled. What was Professor Snape thinking, that Remus was going to confess? Remus showed signs of recognition of the parchment, but easily put on a distracting smile.
"And what would you like me to do with this?" Remus asked.
"Well it looks to me like a dark object, and the Dark arts are your area of expertise. I thought you should take a look." Severus explained. Oh, my goodness, Professor Snape is mocking Remus! That's why he showed it to him. Harry had an epiphany. Remus took it and looked over it for a moment.
"It looks like a silly joke product if you ask me, probably one of Zonko's yeah? I don't think there is anything dark about it, but as you said it is my area of expertise. I'll look into it further. Harry can you come with me?" Remus queried as he motioned for Harry to walk in front of him
"Goodnight, Professor." Harry bid to Professor Snape. When Remus and Harry stopped walking they were in front of Remus' living quarters. He motioned for Harry to go inside after saying the password. He sat the Marauders Map on a table and took a deep breath.
"I don't know how you got a hold of this Harry, because I know for a fact Filch confiscated it years ago. And you know what I'm not going to even ask. What I am going to say is what in the world did you think you were doing? Do you know what could have happened if this got in the hands of Sirius Black? It would be a map leading right to you. The makers of this would have found it extremely entertaining to lead you out of this school. Now you better go off to bed, and don't take any detours or I'll know." Remus lectured.
Harry took a deep breath but made no point to move. He glared at the man.
"You mean, my dad?" Harry interrogated. Remus gasped.
"How did you…"
"I'm not an idiot. Prongslet? Sounds a lot like Prongs to me." Harry accused. Remus sighed.
"Yes, he would have found it quite amusing. Now…"
"And you? I never told you it was a map, so that suggests you knew about it." Harry charged. Remus swallowed.
"Yes, I would have enjoyed as well, when I was younger." Remus admitted.
"How was I supposed to know that Sirius Black would be able to get in the Map?" Harry asked.
"Well, obviously you got into it somehow. So…" Remus was interrupted yet again.
"No, because I was told what the incantation was, it probably took the twins months to figure it out, and then the map probably told them after it found out they were prankster. So, no. The only way Sirius Black would know is if he had already known. Which means he created it too. Which one was he? Moony? Padfoot? Wormtail? Where the heck did you pull those names from, anyway? And what right do you have to take that away from me. I know for a fact my dad would love nothing more than to give that to me. So technically it's my birth right. You know what, I don't care. Take the map. But don't act like you are any more righteous by doing so." And with that Harry left, not even knowing where that speech came from. He was halfway to the common room when he realized there was far too much noise following him. He turned around.
"I know you are there." He stated. Suddenly a cloak was thrown off to find two thirteen-year old's and a dog. The dog came up and licked the boy's hands. Draco stared at him concernedly.
"I think I'm rubbing off on you too much. Really? Your birth right?" Draco quizzed.
Harry smiled. "How long were you two there for?" He asked
"Dragon got concerned and sniffed his way to you. We just followed. I think we were there for the whole thing. Where did that come from?" Hermione probed.
"Yeah, Harry. That wasn't very like you." Draco pointed out.
"I… don't have a clue" Harry drawled out. "I guess I didn't like that he was taking the map again, and that last time he really was in the wrong. I mean he knew exactly how Sirius was getting in and he didn't tell anyone, and then he has the audacity to put me at fault? I guess it all came pouring out. I thought I had my anger under control this time, but I don't. Come on, we shouldn't be standing around. We need to get back to Gryffindor."