AN: Here's chapter two!!! Thanks for all the reviews!!!!! I hope you like it!!!!!
"Where have you been lately?" Hermione exclaimed to Ginny as she dropped her dark green book bag on the table at which Ginny sat.
They were in the common room, so loud, sudden exclamations didn't generally faze Ginny, but Hermione's did. Looking up from the novel she was currently reading. "Ummm…" She stuttered. Truthfully, during the past few days, she had been roaming the castle in her free time, exploring the hidden passageways shown on the map and enjoying the newfound independence the map gave her. "I--."
"Never mind, you're here now, I suppose," Hermione sighed and dropped down in the empty seat next to Ginny. "How've you been?"
"Oh, I don't know, Hermione. Let's see, there is a psycho mass-murderer on the loose out to kill Harry, those ruddy dementors keep interfering with the bloody school, and we lost the quidditch match with Hufflepuff of all houses. Hufflepuff! I'm doing just fine. Fan-bloody-tastic," She muttered, rolling her eyes at the brilliant witch in front of her as she attempted to keep her voice low enough to avoid being overheard.
Hermione looked apprehensive. She lowered her voice before saying, "Ginny, there is something I want to tell you."
"OK,..." Ginny replied slowly, curious.
Hermione glanced around the teeming common room. "Not here," she said. "Do you want to go up to the dormitories? They're more private."
Ginny hesitated. The last thing she wanted to do was go up to the dormitories. Her roomates had decided that they were too cool for the common room and had disturbed her small sanctuary she had created. She sighed. "I guess," she replied. At least they would be able to put a silencing charm around themselves as they talked. She moved to stand up and her hand brushed across the stiff map through the fabric of her robes. "Wait," she said. She really didn't want to tell anyone-- especially Hermione-- about the map, but she didn't necessarily have to if she used her master conversation-steering skills. "I have a better place. Follow me."
Four minutes later, Ginny and very apprehensive Hermione stood in front of a giant painting of a large bowl of fruit.
"Ginny, where are we?" Hermione asked.
Instead of answering, Ginny reached up and tickled the picture of a large pear. Both the pair and Ginny started to giggle, and the pear turned into a large doorknob, which Ginny quickly turned and stepped through the portrait hole. Hermione followed quickly. By the time Hermione figured out where they were and had finished observing the high ceilings and large fireplaces of the bustling kitchens, the house elves had set a small table for two laden with delicate desserts and hot chocolate.
The friends sat down and Hermione looked at Ginny curiously. "How did you find this?
Ginny hesitated. "If I tell you, you must swear not to tell anyone else unless I give you the OK."
"Fine," Hermione said, rolling her eyes.
"And, no matter what you say, I am not turning anything in. I swear to merlin that I have no qualms about obliviating you if necessary," Ginny spoke quietly, her face showing her friend just how serious she was.
Hermione raised her eyebrows and paused for a moment before responding. "Fine," she nodded.
"Swear?"
"Yes! Just tell me! I told you about the Time Turner…," Hermione trailed off, giving Ginny a pointed look.
"Ok," Ginny sighed. She reached into the pocket of her robes and took out the blank Marauder's Map. She touched her wand to the front and recited the humorous incantation. She opened up the map and thrust it toward Hermione, who examined it quickly.
"This is Hogwarts," She observed needlessly. "But… Merlin! This shows everyone inside Hogwarts! Wherever did you get this?"
Ginny took a bite of treacle tart and savored the taste before answering, "Where do you think?"
Hermione shook her head in what looked to Ginny like disgust. "Fred and George."
"Right in one," Ginny took another bite of her dessert. "Anyway," She took the map from Hermione and said, "Mischief managed," before stuffing the map back into her robes.
"Ginny, please be careful with that," Hermione looked concerned. "If that were to end up in the hands of--."
"I know," Ginny cut her off. She had thought long and hard about this fact. "It's a map to Harry. That's why the fact that it even exists must remain a complete secret. Now, what were you going to tell me?"
Hermione took a slow sip of hot chocolate before speaking again. "Well, in Hogsmeade earlier today, we, meaning Harry, Ron, and I…, we overheard something."
"What?" Ginny asked, lowering her voice even though it was unnecessary to do so.
"Sirius Black… He was Harry's parents' best friend. He's Harry's godfather, even! He betrayed James and Lily. He was their secret keeper, and he told You Know Who where they were hiding," Hermione looked like she was going to cry as she told Ginny this.
"Bloody hell," Ginny whispered, her face going so white that her many light freckles were a stark contrast against her skin.
"I know," Hermione said, for once not scolding Ginny for her language. "It was terrible enough already, what with the man murdering those twelve muggles and Peter Pettigrew."
Ginny froze as she reached for a brownie. "Peter Pettigrew?" She attempted to ask nonchalantly.
Apparently she succeeded, because Hermione answered without hesitation. "Yes. It's tragic. Peter Pettigrew, Sirius, and James had been very close friends at school. After Sirius betrayed James and Lilly, Peter confronted him about it. Sirius exploded and killed Peter along with twelve muggles who were nearby. All they could find of Peter was a finger."
Ginny quickly ran through different scenarios and possibilities in her head. "Did Pettigrew have a family?"
Hermione paused for a moment, but answered. "No," she said, looking at her friend curiously. "Why?"
"Oh, I was just thinking how horrible it would've been for his wife and kids if he had any." Ginny knew Fred and George would be proud if they knew how fast she thought up the lie.
Hermione instantly believed the lie and dropped the subject. She looked around and her experssion changed from grief to horror. "These poor elves…" She began.
Ginny felt bad for tuning out her friend, but she had to in order to think. Maybe the map doesn't always work, she thought. She had seen the name Peter Pettigrew many times while observing the map, but never thought anything of it.
Ginny nodded at something Hermione said, trying to act as if she were paying attention. Pettigrew didn't have a son, so that couldn't be the case. Plus, Pettigrew isn't a very common name, so the possibility of it being a mere coincidence seemed very slim. She didn't know why, but she just had trouble believing that magic as complex as the map would mess up like that! It just didn't make sense.
"Will you help me, Ginny?" Hermione's question broke through her thoughts.
"Of course I will!" Ginny exclaimed, totally unaware as to what she was agreeing to.
..........
Ginny sat on the cool grass surrounding the black lake, leaning back against a large tree trunk, a stack of parchment on her lap and a book in her hands. She was supposed to be copying fliers for SPEW, Hermione's latest project, of which she had apparently agreed to be vice-president, but instead she sat there, completely lost in her muggle adventure novel.
As she read, something black moving toward her caught her eye and she glanced up from the page.
Ginny was shocked to see a large black dog with hair almost as unruly as Harry's approaching her tentatively. The dog's pale eyes were shocking against the jet black coat. It held its head low as he approached her. Looking past the thick coat, Ginny could tell that the dog was quite skinny. It looked as if it hadn't eaten in days.
Ginny noticed its eyes flash toward the chicken sandwich sitting beside her that she had nicked from the kitchens, and she immediately reached for it. She held it out to the starving dog tentatively, feeling bad for the poor thing, knowing just by its appearance it must be absolutely famished.
The dog froze, seeming to think that her kindness was a trick. "It's OK," Ginny spoke quietly and sweetly to the mangy dog. "Go ahead, I'm not hungry anyway." The dog still looked suspicious, so Ginny set the sandwich on the ground a couple feet in front of her, hoping the dog would take it.
Ginny laughed as it seemed to throw caution to the wind, putting hunger over suspected danger. It ate with an urgency Ginny had never seen before, even from her brothers. She inched forward and slowly pet the dog as it ate. She was shocked at how silky the unruly, shaggy fur was, and again was reminded of Harry.
The dog quickly polished off the sandwich and began to lick Ginny's hands in thanks. She giggled as his tongue tickled her skin. "You're so sweet," she laughed, amazed that the dog had better manners than her brothers, as he thanked her for the meal. "You are very welcome."
Ginny sat back against the tree and the dog stayed, curling up next to her and continuing to lick her. "Do you want a name?" she asked.
The dog gave a friendly bark.
"OK then," Ginny searched her mind for names and for some reason, thought of the names on the Marauder's Map. "What about Moony?" She asked, rubbing the dog's head.
The dog seemed to laugh at her as it let out several short but friendly barks.
"No? OK, how about Prongs?" Ginny mentally skipped 'Wormtail', not thinking that the name would fit, or that the dog would care for it.
The dog seemed to laugh again.
"Padfoot?" She asked.
The dog let out one friendly bark, agreeing with the name.
Ginny laughed. "You are one smart dog!" She exclaimed. "You definitely know what you want."
Padfoot let out a quiet snort, as if to say 'You got it.'
Ginny laughed, still stroking Padfoot's silky smooth fur. "Are you a good listener?"
……..
AN: Please review and let me know what you think!!! Reviews make me update sooner (… not to mention the ego-boost ;))!!! Thanks!!!
