A/N: Omg guys, thanks for all your great reviews! I really can't complain anymore. And especially thanks to the frog for my first constructive criticism! I'll definitely try to take some of that into account. Although, I don't think I'll be changing the chapters to include whole miniplots for now (I do have some of those I believe, but it would take to long to post only once I finish one). Until I get good enough to write faster, I'll probably be posting like a scene at a time.) But yeah, this is kinda my first multichapter fic, and I don't have a proofreader or anything, so I really appreciate the advice :)
Disclaimer: Mooooo-mooo moo moo mooooo. (Translation: Potter is not mine.)
Chapter 7: Underhanded Mathods
After the one-on-one Quidditch game with James I decided to go up to the dorms for a long shower. Dumbledore had organized for a new bed and some necessary materials to be placed for me in the girls' dorm room, so I at least had a change of robes and a toothbrush (the only thing that looked like it wasn't second-hand). I realized, after I dried myself off and got dressed, that the robes were a few inches too short and a bit worn at the collar. I didn't mind for the most part the state of my new things since l never thought shabbiness is something particularly shameful, but it was still a big change for me. My family had never had monetary problems, and I was used to my things being clean and in good condition. This new appearance, which had me looking a little uncouth, with my socks peeking out from under my hem, just made me look and feel all the less like myself.
No one else was there when I finished dressing since it was about time for dinner, though there was a fluffy, lilac-colored cat which lay on one of the beds next to mine. It stared at me as I tried on my "new" robes, looking all judgmental and uncaring at the same time, the way that cats do.
I was pretty hungry from the afternoon's physical activity, but before I went down to eat with the rest of the students I wanted to take a moment to myself. I pulled the old Marauders' Map out of my bag- one of the few possessions from home I still had with me. It was strange seeing all the little dots with the unfamiliar names (although there were a few surnames I did recognize). The Marauders and my dorm mates were already down in the Great Hall, and my dot, "Lily Potter," was among the very few still up in Gryffindor Tower.
Suddenly, a thought crossed my mind. The Map never lied; whatever my new identity might be, it still showed the name I was given at birth. And if the Marauders had the same map..
I jumped up from the bed, suddenly panicked. I couldn't let them see it. No no no. Whatever it took, I had to keep them from looking at that map. Merlin knows that could give me a lot of problems. So I'd have to take it, somehow without their noticing. The only thing I could think to do right away was to search their in dorm. Hopefully they didn't keep it hidden too well, as it would usually look like no more than a blank parchment.
How likely was it that I was already too late? Probably not that much, since the boys were at dinner and not trying to investigate what the dot "Lily Potter" was supposed to mean.
I glanced at the Map again to make sure all four of their names were really there in the Great Hall. I had to act quickly, in case they were planning on using the Map tonight.
Luckily there was no one in the common room, so it wasn't too difficult sneaking up the boys' stairs and to the door marked with the words "Seventh Years." Below that was another label, also engraved into the wood, though in different handwriting: "The Marauders."
I bit my lip before reaching for the handle. Honestly, I felt bad planning to steal from them. Sure I wasn't always one to follow rules, and I've been on quite a few covert missions at Hogwarts in my day, but I've never stolen anything which wasn't supposed to be mine in the first place.
Yet at the same time I knew I had to do this. Dumbledore told me to keep my real identity secret, and here I was in danger of being discovered on the first day. Perhaps it was possible I could tamper with the map and make it show my name differently, and then I could give it back. With that reassuring thought I turned the handle and entered.
And then everything went black.
-0-0-0-0-0-
"-Hello? I think she's coming around. Hey, new girl, you hear me?"
The voice penetrated the thick fog which enveloped my consciousness and I slowly opened my eyes. I was looking into the faces of the four Marauders, who were bent over me with strange looks on their faces, as though they were trying not to laugh. I also noticed something didn't feel right. Something felt..sticky.
"Our Anti-Intruder Protection Charm knocked you out."
I slowly sat up, realizing in horror that I was covered in something gooey, horribly smelly, and rather green-brown in color.
"Our Anti-Intruder Protection Charm also covered you in essence of Flobberworm." Remus' forehead was wrinkled apologetically, though a small smile still escaped on his lips.
"Don't worry though, it comes off easy." James told me. "With a Cleaning Charm or two."
"Which is why I think we should've gone with the Fungiface Potion." put in Sirius. In contrast with the other three, his grin was entirely unsympathetic.
I could feel my face heating up from the horror of being caught, and perhaps also from the embarrassment of having to face the situation covered in Flobberworm. Though, judging by the boys' expressions, which ranged between concern and amusement, they weren't very angry.
But despite that, the next thing that Sirius said was "So then. Why were you trying to sneak into our dormitory?"
"I, uh-" Bloody hell. What was I supposed to say? I couldn't exactly tell them the truth since that would mean revealing the secret I had broke in to keep safe in the first place. I stalled for a moment by getting to my feet. Surprisingly, James reached out a hand to help me, even though I had goo all over mine.
And as he wiped his fingers on Remus' sleeve, James said. "Honestly, Padfoot. She's new and it's her first day in the castle. Obviously it was a simple mistake."
Well then. That worked. I made a mental note to be extra nice to James for saving my butt. The excuse was so perfect I couldn't believe I didn't think of it in the first place. I guess I'd forgotten that I wasn't supposed to be familiar with the school yet. Still, I caught on fast. "Oh. This isn't the girls' dorm, is it?"
"No; it does say 'The Marauders' on our door." Peter told me.
"Oh." I said again, looking sheepish. "I must've overlooked that."
"Hm. A bit thick then?" Sirius asked as a glob of slime dripped from my nose. I made a mental note not to be nice to him.
"It was a simple mistake." I repeated James' words, trying not to glare only because I knew it wasn't in my best interest at the moment. And I don't think I could've looked threatening in such a state if I tried. Ridiculous was probably the only word to sum up how I looked.
"We're really sorry about the mess." said Remus, though he still couldn't keep down his smile. "It's not harmful or anything. Actually, Essense of Flobberworm has quite a few healing properties."
"Right." I said. Wasn't that comforting. "I think I still prefer to go wash it off though."
The boys let me go without further questioning, even suggesting a spell I should use for removing the slime.
Although the trip to the girls' dorm wasn't exactly long, there was still a fair number of people in the common room now that dinner was over. I got quite a few snickers and stares, as well as some pointing. Well, at least I made a colorful first impression on my new Gryffindor house mates. A green-brown, shiny impression, in specific.
It turned out Lily and Mary were also back from dinner.
"Luna! What in the name of Merlin..?" was Lily's reaction.
Mary, who was reading a magazine on her bed, looked up at Lily's exclamation and started laughing."What exactly did you miss dinner doing?"
"I, uh, tried to enter the Marauders' dorms cause I mixed up the boys and girls staircases." I explained briefly and headed straight for the bathroom. Mary held her nose as I passed.
Before I closed the door behind me I heard Lily say, "Like I said this morning- should've watched out for Potter turning you green."
The goo itself wasn't too hard to get off once I used my wand and liberal amounts of soap, although the smell seemed to linger in my hair a bit even after five cycles of lather, rinse, repeat. I just hoped it wouldn't be strong enough for people to notice tomorrow for my first day of class.
As I stood in the shower and let the water run over me, I also thought of how my original mission had been unsuccessful and the problem remained. It looked like trying to steal the Map away from the boys wouldn't be the fastest way to stop them from using it. They were obviously too carefully guarded.
I did, however, have another idea. It was still underhanded and I liked it even less than my previous method. But even though it was something that I would normally never do, as it seriously went against my personal code of honor, I still understood that in this case I'd be playing with fate if I let the Marauders keep the Map. It felt heavy to have that kind of responsibility on my shoulders, but these weren't the silly little games I used to play at school with my friends, even if being covered in Flobberworm still made it feel that way. Because really, if I let the boys see my name and find out who I am, who knows what would happen with me and my situation, with them and their lives, with Voldemort and the war.
I did think of the Memory Charms I'd used the night before, considering if I could use them a second time if all else fails. But I knew that doing them again would be even more likely to cause brain damage, especially since it would be more difficult when I wouldn't have witnessed the memory I'd want to erase.
So I really had no choice. That very night, before I would once again go to the kitchens to make up the dinner I'd missed, I'd have to go down to Filch's office, tell him about the Marauders' Map, and have him confiscate it.
A/N: So of course the Marauders wouldn't leave their dorm unprotected, with all the valuable things they'd keep in there! Especially since they surely have enemies. Well, now Lily Luna knows not to underestimate them, lol.
But btw guys, I won't be able to post again for a couple of weeks since tomorrow I'm leaving to visit my internet-less family in Russia. I'll definitely try to have something up later in August though, when I come back. Hope ya'll keep reading then!
