After only a few precious weeks at Hogwarts, they had found themselves in trouble as their mother had predicted. Fred and George had attempted to find one of the many secret passages Hogwarts had to offer.
Unfortunately, Filch the Caretaker had thwarted their attempt and so they sat in his office waiting for him to come back with their punishment. Perhaps some dirty cauldrons or something.
"Oi Fred," George said.
"Yes, Georgie?" Fred replied.
"What do you suppose is in there?" George asked gesturing to the large set of Chester drawers.
"Well I'm not sure but it seems rather interesting and it would irresponsible as a Hogwarts student to leave uninvestigated, hm?" Fred asked, a smile growing on his face.
"Too right" George nodded and they stood up and opened one drawer to find full of paper. Rather boring with only bits of banned literature but one thing was rather unique.
"This is blank" Fred said.
"But it is in here" George mentioned then they jumped as they heard the footsteps of Filch coming back. Fred stuffed it up shirt and closed the drawer. They went back to their seats acting like clueless, goody firsties.
Xxx
Hours later they were released from serving detention and Fred took out the blank sheet. "I think I heard Bill using this spell before, hominem revelio" he tapped his wand on the sheet.
The map revealed ink slowly as if waking up from a long nap.
"Messer Padfoot would like to inform you that nosiness is not appreciated," George read and laughed pulling Fred along to a more secluded alcove.
"Do you think writing to it would help?" Fred suggested and George took out a quill and ink bottle. Fred dipped it in and let one drop fall onto the page.
The paper rippled, sucking in the ink "Dear Messer Padfoot, my brother and I would like to know the purpose of this paper" George said aloud as Fred wrote it out.
They waited and words began to write themselves onto the paper "To the brothers asking, the paper's purpose is available only to Marauders. Sincerely, Messer Prongs" Fred read.
"So we have Padfoot and Prongs?" George asked "what are Marauders?" he asked.
"Aren't they like thieves and pirates?" Fred suggested.
"Or general hooligans?" George said grinning "like mum calls us"
"Then… maybe we are Marauders?" Fred asked then dipped the quill in ink.
"To Messers Padfoot and Prongs and all other guilty parties, my brother and I, prankster extraordinaire, believe we are Marauders," Fred said as he wrote.
They waited with bated breath watching as the writing appeared on the page.
"Then do you solemnly swear? -Messer Moony."
"You must be to no good - Messer Wormtail."
"When you finished with your mischief. - Messer Padfoot."
"It must be managed. -Messer Prongs."
"That had to be a clue," George said, ruffling his hair then sighed "Solemnly swear, up to no good" he tapped the map but it didn't do anything.
Fred considers it "I solemnly swear" he tapped it and still nothing.
"I've got it, I solemnly swear that I am up to no good" George said then tapped it and suddenly the map reacted and began to trace lines all over the place.
"The Marauder's Map" they read with bated breath then grinned at each other.
"I believe we have found the greatest tool ever, Fred," George said.
"I quite agree with you there, George, now I can guess to seal it up it goes a little something like…"
"Mischief Managed" they said together.
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