"Where's the map?"

Remus looked up groggily, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. James stood over him, seething with rage and brandishing his wand, red and gold sparks issuing from the tip like a fizzling sparkler firework.

"What?"

"Where's the map?"

"What are you talking about?" Pale and sickly, the full moon rapidly approaching, Remus didn't appear to have the strength to follow the conversation, much less get out of bed. But still James persisted.

"The marauder's map—where is it?"

"I don't know," groaned Remus.

It became obvious that Remus hadn't taken the map, but still, James' bedside drawer was empty. The map had been there when he had gone to sleep last night, but now it was gone. Vanished without a trace.

"Peter," bellowed James.

Peter squeaked and toppled over, clutching his left shoe which he had been attempting to put on his chubby foot. "What, James?"

"Did you take the map?"

"No," answered Peter truthfully.

James swore. "Damn." He turned to Remus, panting with anger and desperation. "He didn't take it."

Remus grunted.

"Sirius wouldn't have. He didn't take the map."

Remus was unresponsive. James continued to try to convince himself.

"What could he need the map for? I mean…he wouldn't need it. It doesn't make sense that Sirius would take it."

Just then Remus toppled out of bed and staggered to the toilet, and proceeded to retch into it.

When Remus had recovered, James helped him dress and then down to breakfast.

"Eat," he ordered as Remus stared blankly at his cereal.

"Can't," rasped Remus. "Full moon's two days away."

"You never get sick before the full moon. You need to keep up your strength."

"We'll get caught. This is a bad idea." Leaning over his bowl as if he were about to vomit again, Remus gasped for breath. "I should go alone."

"We've practically mastered the Animagus thing!" James argued.

"It's illegal. Forget all about it."

"No!"

Remus pushed away from the table and staggered away, leaving his cereal untouched. James stared moodily after him. Taking a seat at the Ravenclaw table, Remus nibbled sadly on a pastry, face pale and eyes clouded over.

"Hey, Mate." James leaned easily against the stone wall of the corridor in an attempt to seem casual.

Sirius froze, black hair falling into his eyes. His stance was defense, almost as if he was ready to spring at a moment's notice. When he showed no sign of relaxing, James continued.

"Hey…erm…what's up?"

"What do you want?" growled Sirius threateningly, voice dangerously low.

James dropped the façade. "Where's the map?"

"I don't have it," came the blunt reply.

"C'mon, Mate, I know you've got it. No one else could have taken it."

Sirius shouldered past him, ramming into James so hard that he was forced to double over. "What the hell, Mate?" he called after Sirius.

Without replying, Sirius ducked around a corner and vanished from sight. James grimaced and massaged his side.

"He doesn't have the map."

Lily Evans stood before him. Her face was torn between mocking and sympathetic, almost as if she were battling her new found feelings for him, old habits egging her on to laughter.

"What?"

"Sirius doesn't have the map."

James straightened up, not wanting to appear weak, even though his side was throbbing, a bruise forming in the shape of Sirius' fist.

"He didn't take it?"

"No, I didn't say that." Lily leaned against the wall, sweeping her long red hair over her shoulder.

"Then what do you mean?"

"Just what I said, Potter."

He grimaced at her gruff tone.

"I mean, James." She corrected herself, face softening. "Sirius doesn't have the map, but he did take it."

James just stared at her, waiting for her to continue.

"Don't believe me?"

"I do," he said slowly. "But then…who has the map?"

Lily ran her slender fingers through her hair, green eyes fixed on him. "I do."

"You have the map?"

"That's what I said."

James was aghast. He knew Lily had caught glimpses of the map before, but the fact that was in her possession turned his gut cold with fear. Could he trust Lily?

"Why? How?"

"Black gave it to me," she returned.

"Sirius gave you the map?" James was incredulous.

"Yes."

"But…why?" The feeling that he had been betrayed was growing ever stronger, and it was surprisingly painful, like burning white shards of glass embedded in his chest.

"I was under the impression that he wanted you to beg." Lily sneered at him, but it was only half-hearted.

The shards of glass grew hotter.

"Beg?"

"That's right. Beg. He wanted you to beg me for the map back."

James could hardly think, the pain now coursing through his entire body like lava in his bloodstream, slowly burning through his veins. He shook his head. "Why would Sirius want me to beg you for anything?"

"Because he thinks you're pathetic." Lily shrugged. "Sometimes I'm inclined to agree with him. You betrayed him for me. A woman. Just a pretty face."

James' mouth fell open in horror.

"He gave me the map this morning. Told me that if I made you beg for it, and spat on you, made a fool out of you and left you, the map was mine."

The ground began to buck and sway beneath his feet.

"But you're lucky," Lily continued. "I don't want the map. I just want you to answer my question."

He could barely breathe. "What?" he managed to gasp.

"There's another name on the map. It's new. I've never seen it before. It only shows when the map closes."

James could feel his heart pounding in his chest.

"Ignatia. Whose name is it?"

James' mind pulled a blank. "I…"

Lily waved the map in front of his face. "Who is Ignatia?"

"Dunno." The truth sprung from his lips.

Lily frowned, but he could see that she didn't doubt the truthfulness of his words. "Well," she said at last. "I'll be trying to find out. I suggest you do the same." Then she leaned forward and handed him the map, planting a soft kiss on his cheek. "I'll be at the quidditch pitch to practice tonight. You don't have to come, but it you want to, you know where to find me."

And then she was gone.