CHAPTER THREE - The Map

Early in the morning Hogwarts castle was quiet. Ghosts floated through walls undisturbed, and even Peeves the Poltergeist was calm, though he was gluing shut the teacher's doors. The occasional bang echoed through the halls, though, disturbing the peace. The bangs were coming from the sixth floor, where a certain redhead was taking her frustration out on unsuspecting cupboards.

"How is it that James catches so many students out of bed?" Lily demanded, opening and slamming closed yet another empty broom closet. "I'm lucky if I get four."

"You'd think you had a quota," Remus said dryly.

The two hadn't patrolled together since late sixth year. James had organized patrols so that Lily only had to go out on rounds when filling in for a sick prefect, or once a month to cover for Remus. Two weeks into the school year she hadn't had to yet, and while Lily hadn't told James she had figured out about Remus' 'furry little problem', she had a feeling he already knew.

Remus was supposed to have been patrolling with the fifth year Hufflepuff girl, Aline, but she had to tutor some third year and was forced to miss. Lily was almost glad. Remus was one of the most sensible people she knew, despite his being a Marauder.

"I'm just frustrated." Lily peered into an empty classroom. "I think that's it for this floor. Up or down?"

Remus shrugged. "Up, I guess." They ascended the stairs together. "He has his ways."

Lily arched an eyebrow. "Ways? Remus, you can't say something that mysterious and then not follow it up. Now I need to know."

"We—well, we really just finished it a year and a half ago, even though it's been working perfectly since fourth year—" Remus wrung his hands as they reached the fourth floor. "Oh, they'd kill me if they knew I told you."

Lily shrugged. "James might. I don't think Peter has it in him to kill anyone, and Sirius is much too in love with you to harm a hair on your head."

Remus blushed scarlet. "I—oh, fine. We have a map."

"A map," Lily repeated. "How frightfully interesting. Pray tell, is it of London? New York? Canterbury?"

Remus sighed. "Take it down a notch, Lily, I'm getting there."

"Sorry."

"It's a map of Hogwarts, you see. With little dots for everyone, you can see them moving around—ten points from Ravenclaw," he cut himself off suddenly.

Two fourth year girls looked up from an alcove in which they had been talking seriously in low voices.

"What—it can't be after curfew!" One girl paled, tears springing to her eyes. "Oh, Merlin, I had no idea—I'm so so sorry, please don't take points—"

Lily narrowed her eyes. "You're faking."

The girl stopped her blubbering and stared at Lily. "H-how did you know?" She hiccoughed.

Lily smiled smugly. "Your acting is amateur. I won't tell you how to improve, though, that would be self-defeating. Off to bed with you, before it becomes fifteen points."

The two girls scampered off towards Ravenclaw tower.

"You're good," Remus said, sounding impressed.

Lily shrugged. "When I was younger I wanted to be an actress. Took a few classes and summer camps. Anyways, about this magic map."

"Oh, yeah. Basically, we can see anyone on it, exactly where they are in real time. Early last year we had some issues with some of the first years being three hours behind, but we fixed that quick enough...getting the Room of Requirement, though, we still haven't figured that one out..."

Lily's eyes widened. "That's incredible! Do you have it on you?"

Remus looked sheepish. "Yes...I bring it on patrols and check it every so often."

"You could just stay in one place and go find the people who are out and about, though, like James does, I presume..."

He shrugged. "I like wandering the castle at night. It's calming, especially now I have a reason and am not just sneaking around trying not to get caught."

Lily laughed. "Can I see it?"

Remus rummaged in his pocket for a second, then drew out a blank piece of parchment.

Lily stared at it. "It's not very impressive," she said.

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good," Remus said, tapping the parchment with his wand.

"It's amazing," Lily breathed, watching the swirling black ink form rooms and classrooms and the tiny forms of people, most sleeping in their rooms, but some wandering, like... "What's Sirius doing in the library at this hour?" she asked, surprised. "What's he doing in the library at all?"

Remus laughed. "When he needs books he'll often steal them from the library at night. Doesn't want to tarnish that reputation of his, but also enjoys being at the top of the class."

Lily laughed. "He's being ridiculous. No one would judge him."

Remus stared at her, a small smile on his lips.

"Okay, everyone would judge him," she admitted. "Hey, aren't those two sixth years dating?"

Remus looked closer. "Yep. In that broom closet...ew. Listen, I got the last one. I think it's only fair you get this one..."

Lily made a face. "I'm just gonna bang on the door."

"I think that's what they're doing, to be honest."

Lily made a gagging sound. "You're as bad as Potter and Black."

Remus smiled apologetically. "They're terrible influences, I know." He tapped the map once more, muttering "Mischief managed" and then folded it up and replaced it in his pocket. "Now, go on and interrupt them."

Lily knocked on the door. There was no response, so she knocked louder.

"What?" a voice responded irritably.

"Let's see," Lily said in her most authoritative voice. "Who's in there...I think, if I'm correct, I'll be taking ten points from Slytherin and ten from Ravenclaw. Am I right?"

The same voice responded sullenly, "Yes."

"Do you need a few minutes or are you going to come out now?" Remus asked, clearly trying not to laugh.

Two voices conferred quietly. "If you leave we'll be out in a minute."

"Okay," Lily said. "And if you're not, we'll know. We'll be back to check up on you."

The prefect and the Head Girl stepped away, not able to contain their laughter anymore.

"I don't know about you, but I'm not going back there," Remus gasped, his eyes shining. "I'd rather not look either of them in the eye tomorrow, either."

Lily yawned, still giggling. "I'm absolutely knackered. Think Hogwarts will still be standing if we turn in early? I want about three hours of sleep before classes tomorrow."

The two returned to the Gryffindor common room together, both in good moods despite the fact that it was nearly three in the morning and they hadn't gotten any sleep.

Remus bade her a goodnight as they parted in the common room, Lily off to the girls' dorms and Remus to the boys'.

Lily fell asleep thinking about the map, and how genius it was. She honestly couldn't believe a prat like James Potter could have pulled something like that off. Of course, James Potter didn't seem like such a prat recently.

Unbeknownst to her, something was changing. Outside the walls of the castle, of course, a war was brewing. Some would say it had already begun. But even within the walls, the Slytherins and the Gryffindors were readying themselves for a rivalry that would put all others to shame.

"The map, the map," Lily muttered. "Need the map..." she skidded to a halt outside the Fat Lady's portrait.

"Where are you going in such a rush?" The Fat Lady looked surprised at Lily's flushed face and messy hair.

"I'm sorry, some of my friends are in trouble—Mandragora." She would really have to start thinking of more interesting passwords, Lily thought as the portrait swung open. That's really not a priority right now, though, she chided herself as she sprinted for the boy's dormitories, panting when she reached the Head Boy's room at the top. She tugged at the handle, but of course it was locked and password protected like her own.

"Wonderful," she muttered. "Password, password...er...Snitch?"

The door remained firmly shut.

"Marauders. Invisibility Cloak. Sirius. James. Peter. Remus. Er...Moony? Padfoot. Prongs. Wormtail. Damn it, damn it, damn it..." Lily began pacing. She could only imagine what would happen to Sirius when his brother and his wannabe Death Eater friends confronted him. "Quidditch. Quaffle. Gryffindor." A thought occurred to her. If James' mind worked in the same way as hers... "Lily," she said. "Evans."

There was a click.

"Evans?" she said aloud. "Really?"

She didn't wait long, instead bursting right in. His room was identical to hers, if a little messier. The map was blank, lying inconspicuously on his dresser. Thank Merlin she didn't have to dig through his knicker drawers to find it.

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." She tapped the map with her wand, and black lines spread from the point of contact. She sat on James' bed and scanned it. Not in the Astronomy tower, not in the Kitchens...wait, that was him! James Potter, in the common room. In the boy's dormitory? But that wasn't possible, she was—

"Evans?" James stood in the doorway, looking shocked.

Lily looked up. "Oh. Hi."

"What are you—who told you how to work the map? How did you—do you know my password?"

His cheeks were bright red. It would have been amusing, had the circumstances been different.

Lily's heart was pounding. "If it makes you feel any better, my password is Potter." She froze. "I suppose I'll have to change it now."

"Right," he said weakly. "And the map?"

"Remus," she said simply. "I needed it for a reason—Sirius is following his brother."

James raised an eyebrow. "Lily, he does that all the time. Likes to keep an eye on him."

Lily shook her head. "No, I heard Sev—Snape saying, they know. They think Sirius has been spying on them, so they're leading him to a trap. I needed to find you, find him...not necessarily in that order," she said breathlessly.

James pulled something out of his pocket. It seemed like an ordinary, silver-backed round mirror. "Sirius Black," he said into it.

Lily thought he'd finally lost it. "Potter?"

"Prongs?" Sirius' voice was coming from the mirror. Lily hurried over, but she didn't see herself reflected in it. Instead she saw a very exasperated looking Sirius Black. "Oh, brill. Do you have to show her all our secrets?"

James scowled. "Get out of there, Padfoot. It's a trap."

"What? It can't be, they don't know I'm—" Sirius in the mirror looked up. "Shit. It's a trap."

"I TOLD YOU," James yelled into the mirror, before stuffing it into his pocket and pulling out his wand. "Come on," he said grimly.

In the common room, Lily spotted Marlene chatting animatedly with Aaron McKinnon. "Marlene!" she yelled. "I need you. Now."

Marlene looked up.

James scowled. "Don't tell her, too, Merlin, Lily."

"No, you'll see—Marlene! Now!"

Marlene said a quick apology to Aaron and hurried over, following Lily and James out. "What?" she said irritably. "He was about to ask me to Hogsmeade—"

"I need you to get Madam Pomfrey."

"You can't," James said. "She'll give us all detention if she thinks we've been fighting—"

"I'll talk you out of it," Lily said. "I volunteered in the Hospital Wing last year during flu season—she loves me. Marley, go get Pomfrey."

Marlene looked nervous, her anger having evaporated. "Where should I send her?"

"Dungeons," James said. "Near the Slytherin common room."

Marlene hurried off without another word.

"Thank you!" Lily called after her.

"Come on, Evans." James began down the stairs. "Though you should've gotten Pomfrey, I can deal with this..."

Lily had turned left. "Where are you going?" she demanded.

"Lily, this is really not the time—"

"There's a secret passage to the dungeons here," she insisted. "I use it when I'm running late."

James sighed, inching down the stairs. "It's blocked off," he said impatiently. "I know it's supposed to go there, but it doesn't, trust me."

"It does, though," Lily said. "You just need to ask politely." She hurried over to the snoozing portrait of an old witch and swung it open, climbing through the opening behind it. James was behind her, albeit looking dubious.

A few feet into the passage a large boulder and several bricks were blocking it.

"See?" James said. "I told you. We're wasting—"

"Excuse me," Lily said in her best prefect voice. "Could you please let us pass? We're rather in a hurry."

The boulder rumbled, rolling aside and and shrinking until it was the size of a pebble. Lily darted forward, ducking as the roof sloped down. Her shoes skidded as the tunnel angled downwards.

"I must say I'm impressed," James said in a strangled voice behind her. "I never thought to do that."

"And that's why we work well together," Lily said, the darkness hiding her blush. "Here." She shoved aside the tapestry that blocked this side, and jumped out, James right behind her.

Sirius seemed to be holding his own, she thought as they rounded the corner and found him engaged in a three-on-one duel.

He seemed to have a broken arm and there were bruises on his face, but he was still laughing. "Cowards," he called. "Can't even make it a fair fight."

"It's fair now," Lily said, shooting a nonverbal stunning spell at Mulciber. Avery and Nott looked at her, their wands lowering and lips curling in sync. "Don't say it," Lily warned. James and Sirius hung back behind her, unsure of what to do.

"Where's Regulus," she heard James mutter.

"He's already in the common room," Sirius responded through a swollen lip. "Didn't want to fight me."

Avery was scowling. "So. You think you can take on both of us?"

Lily smiled. "I've been wanting some revenge since Mulciber cursed my best friend two years ago and got off with nothing more than a smack on the wrist, yes." She flicked her wand, and ropes flew out of it, binding Avery and Nott together before they could raise their wands.

"You filthy mudblood," Nott muttered.

Lily walked slowly up to him, then crouched down. She could hear Marlene's panicked voice and Madam Pomfrey's footsteps. They had to be nearby. "You don't really mean that," she said softly.

Nott spat at her, a mixture of saliva and blood.

James started forward, a growl rising in his throat.

Lily smiled calmly. It was a dangerous, sickening smile. She drew back her fist and punched Nott in the face, feeling his nose crack. Her hand was immediately drenched in blood. Her stomach lurched at the sight, and at the pain in her knuckles.

She quickly stood, sent two more stunning spells at Nott and Avery, Vanished the blood on her hand, and shot a stinging hex at her own arm, bringing tears to her eyes. "Admit it," she said to Potter as he stared on in confusion. "You need me." She turned just as Madam Pomfrey rounded the corridor, Marlene hot on her heels.

"What in Merlin's name happened here?" Madam Pomfrey demanded, her round eyes sweeping the scene in shock.

Lily burst out sobbing, aided by the tears her stinging hex had brought on. "M-Madam P-P-Pomfrey," she blubbered. "Th-they attacked me—they called me a m-mud—" she broke down into sobs. "They shot sp-spells at me—"

Marlene, recognizing Lily's tactic, spoke up. "James sent me to find you as soon as he heard, Madam Pomfrey," she said earnestly.

"S-Sirius and J-James saved me," Lily said, her chest heaving.

Madam Pomfrey examined the Gryffindors critically. "You seem fine, other than a nasty stinging hex, Miss Evans," she said. "As for you, Mr. Black, you need to come with me immediately. Potter, help him up there, then get Professor Dumbledore."

James, who had been staring at Lily's display in amazement, quickly shook himself. "What? Oh—right. Come on." He threw Sirius' arm around his shoulders and guided him back towards the passageway.

Marlene enveloped Lily in a hug as Madam Pomfrey bent down to examine the incapacitated Slytherins. "The two idiots didn't do anything, did they?" She spoke softly into Lily's ear, so only the two of them could hear.

Lily smiled. "Nope."

"I recognized a Lily-escape when I saw one. Madam Pomfrey," she said, raising her voice. "I'm going to accompany Lily up to the Hospital Wing."

"Very good," Pomfrey said. "Miss Evans, make sure Mr. Black stays in the Hospital Wing and does not run off as usual."

Lily attempted a weak smile. "Y-yes, Madam Pomfrey."

As the two girls exited the passageway near the Gryffindor common room they burst out laughing.

"Potter and Black just stood there, gaping!" Lily was leaning on Marlene, overcome with giggles.

"Did you shoot yourself in the arm, too?" Marlene asked in disbelief. "Merlin, Lily, you know how to commit to a role..."

Lily shrugged. "Sorry for dragging you away from Aaron." She raised her eyebrows. "Think if you go back in he'll still ask you to Hogsmeade?"

Marlene laughed. "He's been in love with me since the beginning of sixth year—I think so. You should probably get up to the Hospital Wing, though," she said as they came to a halt outside the Fat Lady's portrait. "Wouldn't want to raise suspicions."

Lily gave Marlene one last hug before heading back down to the first floor. Her arm really did hurt, her Stinging Hexes were always strong. Potter could probably attest to that, as she'd hit him with his fair share of them.

"Evans!" A voice cried upon her entry to the Hospital Wing. Black had accosted her with a bear hug, then pulled away grinning. "I honestly didn't know you had it in you."

"You're awfully perky," Lily frowned. "Shouldn't you be moaning in pain right now?"

"Nah, Prongs fixed me up before he left for Quidditch practice. We've gotten good with healing spells—sorry about my git of a brother's friends, by the way. You really shouldn't have tagged along."

Lily smiled. "It's really lucky for you I did."

Sirius shrugged. "I'll admit it. I'd probably be slime mold right now if you hadn't shown up." He returned to the bed he must have been previously occupying.

Lily sat next to him, a thought occuring to her. "So. When did this whole 'grand 100' thing begin?"

Sirius grinned. "Oh, Merlin, a while ago. You might consider saying yes, when the time comes, if only to see the look on his face."

"I might consider it," Lily said, trying not to blush. "It depends. I think he's finally knocked me off the pedestal he's put me on for the past few years, and thank God for that."

"Fear of heights?" Sirius teased.

Lily stuck out her tongue. "Well, it seems like we'll be here for a while. Please, tell me the story about how James decided to win my heart."

"Okay," Sirius said. "You might want to get some popcorn. Or chocolate frogs. It's not as straightforward as you'd think."

A/N

Disclaimer: Still not JK Rowling.

Thanks so much to everyone who read! I didn't expect this much of a response, really. Please let me know what you think!