Draco was alone in the Slytherin common room. A cold chill filed the air as the once flaring fire piece had stopped working, and no one had bothered to tend to it. Good for nothing staff that work here, Draco mumbled under his breath, shivering as a sharp fluster of the icy breeze ran through his skin.
He wandered over to the lounge part, and sat on the uncomfortable sofa in the middle of the room. He attempted to somewhat warm up, holding a flask of hot tea with both hands, fingers tightly wrapped around it. He was about to take a sip of the tea, when suddenly, he heard a blaring whoosh sound from the dreaded fire piece. He saw, in the corner of his eye, an orange beam flare up. The fire place had mysteriously came on, lighting itself into a healthy flame and immediately letting off a warm fluster into the frozen air.
Draco instantly snapped his head around. He glared at the fire place; it was about time it decided to come on. But then he noticed, a narrow, folded up parchment had appeared in the fire. What on earth is that doing there? He thought. He looked around briefly to check no one was watching, then wandered over to the parchment.
Reaching into the flames, a sharp, scorching pain pierced into his hand and ran up his arm. He felt his own flesh burning up, and he abruptly retracted his hand out, holding the devious parchment with all his might, as his entire arm thudded with jolts of pain like lightening. Figures! He whispered harshly. He held the parchment up, trying to ignore the pain mustering up in his body, and examined it. It looked blank and boring, but he wandered why such a plain piece of paper would mystically appear in the fire place. No. He realized it must have something special about it. Something of any worth. He was determined to make up for the pain he experienced trying to get to the parchment.
He took it back to the sofa, and plucked up his wand from the table beside it. He tapped the parchment.
"Reveal your secrets," he whispered willingly.
Nothing happened. He scrutinized it. How dare it be worthless! He wouldn't hear of it.
"Reveal yourself to Draco Malfoy!" he repeated, louder and broader.
Just then, a black ink en-scripted itself onto the parchment. Words and sketches began to fade into Draco's inquisitive sight.
Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs present the Marauders Map - it read.
"What is this nonsense?" Draco huffed. But he spoke too soon, as more words began to appear below the existing writing.
Once again, he examined the words.
"Mr Wormtail would like to air his concern about the fact that a boy with such a babyish face and unmanly blonde hair is putting his hand into such a blazing fire."
"Huh?" said Draco, surprised. He read the words over and over. Whoever this "Mr Wormtail" person was, they would definitely be getting it from Draco. Then more words appeared underneath.
"Mr Moony agrees with Mr Wormtail and would like to add that this boy is about as foolish as he looks, and he should learn some manners for this poor fire place who had to endure the presence of your clumsy arm."
"Mr Prongs agrees with both Mr Moony and Mr Wormtail, and begs for this silly boy to put the parchment down before it leaves him running off in floods of tears."
"Mr Padfoot completely agrees with all of the above, and suggests that he puts this parchment down at once before someone sees him up to no good, but with that, Mr Padfoot bids this child good day before begging him to stop reading."
Draco shook his head with horror and disbelief. How dare they! When he finds out who they are, they will be in some serious trouble. He threw the parchment back into the fire aggressively, and threw himself back on the sofa.
Crabbe and Goyle, Draco's friends, then appeared at the door and joined Draco on the sofa. When Crabbe noticed his glum face, he said:
"What's wrong with you? You look like a sulking child." Draco immediately glared at him.
"Shut up, idiot." he snapped. "Nothing was wrong until you walked in, both of you. Now... get lost."
Crabbe looked at Goyle and his friend shrugged.
"I'm sorry." he said plainly.
"You should be." Draco muttered, and he stormed up to his dorm.
