Author's Note: Hi everybody! Yeah, another update. I hope this chapter turned out right, it's the first time I really have Bree and the twins interact properly, and I am no so sure if it is what I had been wanting. But I'm overly critical, and way to worried about being perfect with this sort of stuff. *sigh* *tired* Anyway, read on!

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I do not own Harry Potter. I do not own Harry Potter... *goes on and on*

Chapter 9: The Map

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It was a horrible and degrading thing to be caught and accused of doing something wrong when you were probably one of the more decent and good people out there that would never even dream of causing a pint of trouble, and Bree was coming to know how those people felt at this very moment. She was seated rather uncomfortable on a dirty, three-legged stool beside one of the twins. Her palms were sweating, and her heart was pounding. She could barely speak a word without stuttering terribly, and Filch took this to mean she was indeed guilty in being in on the twins' "evil plot" to set up a trap for his beloved Mrs. Norris. They were all in his office, if you could even call it that. It was a tiny, cramped room, with various chairs and stools, one dilapitated old desk, that Bree guessed was a hand-me-down from a previous professor, and a junkie cot bed sat in the corner. A few shelves covered the walls, all of which were occupied by all sorts of knick-knacks and toys. One wooden cabinet stood behind the desk, and that too looked full to bursting. Bree assumed the old man spent a lot of his time in here, either sleeping or talking gabbledash to his ruddy cat.

Right then, he was standing behind his desk, holding and stroking Mrs. Norris, his twitchy eyes on the lot.

"Well, out with it! You were going to harm my precious Norris, weren't you brats?," he was prodding them mercilessly.

"Honest now, Filch, we wanted nothing to do with your kitty!," Fred tried to convince him, pleadingly.

"Then what were you doing?!," snarled the caretaker.

"N-Nothing!," squeaked George, unlike himself.

"What about you, Missy?," Filch turned on Bree, who winced at his harp, accusing gaze.

"I-I-I-," she stammered.

"What?," he barked impatiently. "Not talking, are we? Well, perhaps some proper punishment will make you speak."

He then hobbled around his desk, and out of the small office, closing and locking the door behind him. Mrs. Norris had gone too. The twins let out a sigh, but Bree only shook more in her seat.

"P-P-P-P-P-P-P-Proper punishment??," she croaked.

"Ah, don't let old Filchy scare you. He's probably just gone off to get Dumbledore and some left over biscuits from lunch. Besides, you didn't do anything wrong, so what's to worry?," one of them, Fred, assured her, getting up from his stool.

"Yeah, you'll get out of it Scott free!," the other, George, added, getting up from his stool as well. Then his expression changed. "Unless, of course, you were up to something."

"Oh, come off it, George!"

"Just wondering.," George ignored him. "Since you too were strolling 'round the corridors during lunch. And right near where we were. What were you doing?"

His tone was carrying a bit of suspicion.

"N-Nothing that would bother an old caretaker and his cat!," Bree defended herself as best she could.

"Ah, well then, you're okay. Dumbledore'll send you off to class, while we get the blunt. No worries!," he gave her carefree grin.

Bree wasn't so sure of that. She watched as him and his brother began to investigate the entire perimeter of the office, from every nook to every cranny. It was unbelievable to her. How could they honestly be snooping around like that when they were possibly going to be in so much trouble? Were they insane? Bree felt her stomach ache coming back again, and she groaned. The twins were now examining an object that looked like a magnifying glass, chattering to each other like a couple of squirrels.

"I think Bill had one of these once."

"No he didn't."

"Yes he did."

"No, he did not, George."

"Yes, he did, Fred. Don't you remember? For his thirteenth birthday?"

There was a pause.

"Oh, yeeeaaah, I remember now. You mean the one we broke after chucking it at Percy?"

"Yup."

"Thought so."

"What are you two doing?"

The boys turned to look at Bree at the same time.

"Talking."

"To each other."

"Why do you ask?"

"We're in trouble.," Bree reminded them, clutching her woozy belly.

"You don't say?," George gasped, his brows flying high.

"Whatever for?!,' Fred demanded, stamping his foot on the ground and looking falsely angry.

"For whatever you two were up to.," Bree gritted through her teeth.

"Us-"

"-Up to something?"

"Never!"

"Please! Stop playing around! I feel like I'm going to blow chunks..."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Are you that nervous?"

"Yes, but my stomach ache isn't because of this. I had it way before.," Bree explained.

"Then why were you tagging along behind us back in the corridor there?," Fred asked her.

"I was looking for the girls' lavatories.," Bree answered half truthfully.

"Oh. Well just hold on to those chunks until we get out of here, alright?"

"But, how can I-"

"Ah, ah, ah! No buts! You can hold it! I hate it when girls puke."

"Hey! Girls-," but Bree was cut off.

"Yes, it is rather disturbing, isn't it, Fred?"

"Undoubtedly, George. Now, let us continue our investigation.," Fred gestured his twin to follow him around behind Filch's desk.

Bree glared at them, offended. What was so gross about girls throwing up? Boys were just as gross. If not more. She clamped her hands over her mouth when she gave a smelly burp, expecting a mound of stomach contents to come pouring forth. She hoped, in a way that Filch would not go and get Dumbledore, or McGonagall. She didn't really feel up to explaining herself, and even if she did, whose to say they would really believe her? McGonagall might, since she always sees her and Angelina together, and never with the twins. Worst off, if she was to get detention, her parents would surely hear of it, and they, especially her mother, would be so upset and disappointed. Then she thought of what the twins had said. She wasn't a part of their scheme, therefore, she was not in trouble. So why should she worry? She knew she shouldn't, but she coudn't help it. Her frantic thoughts were interrupted as one of the boys began speaking loudly.

"What do you suppose it is?"

"A piece of parchment?"

"Now why on earth would a piece of blank, torn-up parchment be doing in Filch's office?"

"Dunno. Maybe he accidently filed it away with the others."

"Do you suppose it means something?"

"Like what?"

"Like... a secret."

"A secret?"

"Yeah! Now just imagine old Filch writing about his long lost love in invisible ink right here on this parchment!"

"Yeah, right. No woman in their right mind would go for Filch. Even when he was young."

"It doesn't have to be a human love! Perhaps it was for his furry girlfriend."

"Mrs. Norris?"

"Yeah!"

"George, you are such a daft idiot."

"What??"

"Like Filch is going to go off and write love notes to his cat. He isn't that crazy... yet."

"Then what's your belief, Fred."

Fred thought about this for a moment, examining the parchment closely.

"I'd be damned if it didn't hold secrets, but not from Filch.," he said more to himself than to George. "More likely it holds someone else's secrets."

"Like who?"

"I don't know! Probably a student, or something."

"What are you two going on about over there?," Bree couldn't help it. She was just too curious; perhaps for her own good.

"None of your business, nosey!," Fred replied.

"None of my... well I never.," Bree's aching stomach and other troubles quickly disappeared at her rising frustration towards the twins. "I'd say it is since I'm stuck in this place with you two for something I never did!"

"It's a just piece of parchment.," George told her honestly.

"Well apparently not to you two!"

"Look, Bree, if you wouldn't mind, me and my brother are trying to figure out something at this time, so please, do pipe down and keep those icky chunks in. Thank you.," with that said, Fred promptly turned himself and George away from her and went about muttering to each other over the mysterious parchment, purposely ignoring the young girl.

Bree clenched her fists, narrowing her brows angrily at the boys' backs. She then stood up abruptly from her stool, and made for them, walking around to the back of the desk. She completely took the twins by surprise when she snatched the parchment right from their sneaky little paws.

"Hey!"

"Oh, hush up! I want to take a look.," Bree snapped at Fred, holding out the parchment in front of her.

What she saw was nothing exciting, nor strange, or out of the ordinary. It was just an old, wrinkled, badly torn and stained piece of parchment, just as George had said. She scoffed, then shoved it back in Fred's hands.

"It's absolutely worthless.," she stated harshly.

"Is not!"

"Is too!"

"What would you know? Stupid girl."

At this, Bree turned on Fred, and got right up in his face.

"Take. That. Back."

"Ha! Yeah, right.," Fred laughed in her face, not budging an inch from his spot.

"Hey! Shut it! Both of you!," George suddenly moved between them, grabbing the parchment from Fred.

"Well she started it!," Fred pointed a finger at Bree, who boiled.

"Me? Who was the one being rude, and treating the other like a dumb dog? Huh?"

"You."

Bree stomped her foot with anger, and nearly had a tantrum; something she hadn't done since she was five.

"Oooooh, you, you, you-"

"What?," he smirked at her.

"Oooooh!!"

"Quit it!," George fairly yelled at the top of his lungs.

The girl and boy stopped, and looked at George. He now had the parchment laid out over Filch's desk, and was studying it intently, as if he were looking for the answer to a riddle of some sort. Fred immediately flew to his side, but Bree stood where she was, arms folded across her chest, hazel eyes narrowed. She had never been so angry at anyone before. The boys again went back to talking intimately, leaving Bree in the cold. She couldn't see how Lee, or anybody for that matter, could be friends with these two. They were so caught up in each other, it was ridiculous! Well, Bree was happy she didn't have to deal with them on a routine basis, but for the moment, she was not about to stand there, cast out of their twinish circle of love.

"Why are you guys so amazed by that ancient piece of paper for? It's not like a magic jinn is going to jump out and grant you three wishes or something.," she came over to George's other side, looking down at the parchment with disinterest.

"Your right. That could only happen if you had a magic lamp. Like in Aladdin.," Fred told her, obviously being an ass.

Bree pretended not to hear him.

"No, seriously, what is so grand about it, I mean-"

As the two bickered back and forth, George was trying everything to make the parchment reveal its secrets.

"Please, something! Anything would do. I swear I won't tell. I, I swear I am up to no good, no good at all, and that I am sure you mean no good too. Ah, I really swear- no, I solemnly swear that I am up to no good. Neither is my brother. I can't speak for Bree, though."

"-and you don't? I suppose-"

"Look!," George hissed at them, his eyes glued to the parchment.

All three children watched in wonder as words in burgundy ink showed up on the ragged piece of parchment. They read:

Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs, purveyors of aids to magical mischief-makers, are proud to present the Marauders Map.

There was silence as the words slowly faded away, back into the old parchment. Bree snorted.

"What a load of rubbish if I 've ever seen-"

"Hush up! There's more!," Fred snapped at her.

Bree looked, and to her great surprise, there was. Unfolding in front of them was a grand, and beautifully detailed map of what appeared to be the school and all its grounds. The twins' eyes sparkled with pure delight at this, but Bree only gaped at it, disbelieving. What was this thing? Who had created it?

"This is brilliant.," breathed Fred, and one could almost hear the deviant inner workings of his brain.

"Too brilliant.," George corrected him, engrossed by the magical map as well.

Bree watched as little dots with names by each one, moved all around the castle. She spotted Angelina. She was in Flitwick's class, most likely fretting about Bree and what had happened to her. Bree's eyes then caught something else. One dot with the name Filch next to it, was making its way steadily towards the way of his office. She seen two other dots as well, one labeled Dumbledore and the other, McGonagall, who were following Filch's closely. Bree's stomach fell ill on the spot. She breathed in, shaking her head at the parchment.

"We shouldn't be doing this. This, this could be-," she swallowed,"-illegal."

"Come off it!"

"I'm serious!," Bree's eyes watched the dots as they neared. "Well, if not illegal in the outside world, it sure would have to be here."

"Look! Filch is coming!," George noticed this just then, pointing his finger at the dots. "And it looks as if he's brought company."

"We had better get rid of this before they catch us.," Fred took the Marauders Map up off of the desk, and began to fold it up.

Bree thought he was going to stuff away back in the cabinet again, but she was sadly mistaken when he hid it inside one of his jean's pockets. He and George then went back to their stools and sat down, trying to put on innocent, bored expressions. Bree went back too to her stool and sat, but she could care less of how her face looked at that point. A few minutes later, the door to the tiny office unlocked, and opened. In came Filch, carrying Mrs. Norris, then a calm and serene Dumbledore, and lastly, a flustered and flushed McGonagall. Her eyes instantly fell on Bree, and she looked as if someone had betrayed her.

"Miss Cottle!"

"See there now, Professor, they're all in on it. They all have it out for my Norris, and that's a fact!," Filch said to Dumbledore, like a young child telling on his elder siblings of some rotten trick to his father.

"Is it a fact? I had never known.," Dumbledore queried with true interest and befuddlement, as if he had missed out on the greatest knowledge to wizard kind. "If you would not mind, my dear Argus, may I see this confirmed by the ones responsible?"

Filch shook his head, but one could tell he didn't wish too abide to it. Dumbledore strolled forward, and halted right in front of the three children. Bree, her heart hammering madly, her stomach squirming, tried not to panic, but it was so hard not to.

"Now, Mr. Filch has just come to me telling me that you three were on the hunt for a certain cat by the name of Mrs. Norris during lunch, for cruel intentions I might add.," his blue eyes gazed down at them over his half moon spectacles, serious, yet gentle. "Is this true?"

Fred, of course, was the first to speak up.

"No, never, Professor.," his voice was sickeningly innocent and sweet. "Me and George were only looking around for Peeves. Honestly! We had no thought of ever coming near Mrs. Norris, for any reason at all!"

"It's the truth, Professor.," George put in, giving Dumbledore puppy eyes.

"Hmm.," the old wizard then looked at Bree. "And what of you, Miss Cottle? Did you have anything to do with Fred and George, or any type of evil plot against Mrs. Norris?"

Bree shook her head, swallowing hard.

"No, Professor. I was never with Fred and George to start.," she said to him in a low voice, but strangely firm voice, her eyes connected with the headmaster's.

"Ah, then how did you come to be with them, dear?," he asked of her kindly.

"I, uh, I was looking for the lavatories, Professor. I wasn't feeling well.," Bree admitted. "That's when I ran into Fred and George."

"Is that so?," Dumbledore nodded at her, his eyes dwelling into her own, but not in a mean or nasty way. They were looking for reassurance.

Bree nodded once back to him.

"Yes, Professor."

"Very well.," Dumbledore then turned and walked back to Filch, who's lips were wiggling, wanting more than anything to yell at the three.

"It seems, Argus, that your accusation is incorrect. So, if it isn't too rude of me, I should like to get back to my own office and work. Miss Cottle and the two Mr. Weasleys are free to go to their classes now. Good day to you, Argus, Minerva.," and just like that, the old wizard was gone out the door.

McGonagall then hurried forward, ushering up the three.

"Hurry, now you've missed half of your class already! Come on now Mr. Weasley, and Mr. Weasley. Come, Miss Cottle."

As Bree was pushed out of the office, she stole a glance at Filch. He was seething, she could tell. She couldn't help but smile. She got off. With not a problem. The headmaster had been so straight forward and trusting, it was wonderful. Bree, in that moment, really started to take a liking for him. Since she and the twins both had Charms, McGonagall did not have to worry about not keeping an eye one or the other. By time Bree, Fred, and George got to class, it had only a few minutes to run. Angelina was relived to see her.

"You're alright!," she said, smiling at Bree as she sat down.

"Yeah.," Bree scratched her leg.

"What happened?"

"It's a long story; I'll tell you when class gets out.," Bree assured her.

"Okay.," Angelina nodded, then turned back to Flitwick, who was talking about something Bree had missed.

As Bree brought her mind back to the present and actually tried to listen and comprehend, she couldn't get her mind off of that magical map that they had found in Filch's office. She looked over to where the twins were sitting and talking with Lee, most likely about their discovery. She sighed. She would have to talk to them later about it.

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Ah, geez, not my best ending, but oh well. Reviews are totally welcome! :)