Title: Old Scars and Future Hearts

AN: I was asked a really good question about the dementors and that has all happened like it did in the book but the aftermath changed since Draco didn't bully Harry about it.

Word Count: 2, 172

Chapter nine: The Golden Boy, Part II


Harry understood pretty quickly why Hermione retreated to the library to get something done and he found himself doing the same a lot of the time. When he wasn't discussing, or somewhat arguing with Draco, Harry sat with his nose bent over the book about his family history. He had so far only read about his parents and paternal grandparents. He could look at the pictures of Euphemia, Fleamont and James for hours. The resemblance between him and his father truly was uncanny. That became even clearer to him when he saw the photos of James as a teenager. But the eyes, they reminded him only of his mother.

He thought about them more often and occasionally he would even dream about them. It wasn't like when he was a child and woke up with the sound of his mother screaming in his head. It was more images that flashed through his mind with whispering voices of people calling for him and telling him that they loved him. Draco's expressions of disbelief a few hours earlier became easier to deal with after a night of dreams like that. It also made it easier to deal with Hermione offering to help with their so called project and Draco looking at her, and Harry, with murder in his eyes.


"You sent her an owl?" There was no missing the look of disbelief on Draco's face. It was an expression that could have made Harry feel self-conscious if he wasn't so used to it. "And you asked her to meet us when we go to Hogsmeade? And she agreed?"

Harry nodded.

"What made you think that was a good idea?" Draco asked without making any attempts to hide the distressed tone in his voice.

"We're not getting anywhere." Harry said from his leaned back position against the wall of the library. "We can sit around here and read as much as we want but we won't be getting any real answers unless we talk to someone who knew him and that's why I send an owl to Penny and asked her to meet us."

Harry ran his hand through his hair and felt a warmth spread inside his chest. Ever since he saw his father doing that in one of the many photos there was of him he had done whatever he could to get used to the habit. Sadly, it didn't come as natural to him as it had to James.

"Okay genius." Draco commented from where he sat around the round table. His hair was messy as per usual and somehow the last few months it seemed that he had lost weight. He looked tired most of the time and Harry had been close to asking if he was okay more times than he wanted to admit. "You're right. But there's one thing that you've missed in your brilliant plan."

"What's that?"

Draco smirked at him. "You don't have permission to go to Hogsmeade. At least you didn't the last time I checked."

Harry mentally cursed but managed to smile. "So, you'll talk to her and I stay back here. Or maybe I should just talk to the twins… I'm sure they can get me out of the school unnoticed somehow."

"Or I can go with him." A familiar voice called out before walking out from behind a bookshelf. Harry assumed that Hermione saw the look of shock and a tiny hint of fear in his face but chose not to say anything. "I'm assuming that this has to do with the project you two are doing for professor Binns."

Draco looked at Harry. Only the slightly raised eyebrow indicated confusion and with his back against Hermione there were no risk of her noticing. He had known that they were claiming to be working on a project but the involvement of professor Binns was new.

For a moment Harry was gobsmacked and then he nodded. "How long have you been standing there?"

"I heard Draco telling you that you didn't have permission to go to Hogsmeade and then you told him that he should go meet someone by himself and you'll stay back here." Her neutral expression turned into one of disapproval. "Then I heard you talking about going to the twins and finding another way to leave the castle. That would be a very stupid idea seeing as there is a murder on the loose and he's looking for you. So, I figured I'd offer my services and talk to whoever you need to talk to with Draco."

Harry looked at Draco who gave him an expression that said only three words; don't you dare. But Harry saw, based on the way Hermione looked at him that she was not going to let this go. If he told her that she couldn't go with Draco then she might stay with him to make sure that he didn't talk to the twins about getting into Hogsmeade.

He nodded after being stared down by the two most intense people he had ever met. "Sure Hermione, we'd really appreciate your help. Why don't you sit down and we'll fill you in on what we want to know?"

Hermione's smile grew and Harry couldn't help but laugh as she sat down next to Draco who looked at her with murder in his eyes. Harry didn't know if she noticed the way the blond looked at her or if she was just ignoring him the way Harry did whenever Draco looked at him with almost the same glare.


The lies easily flew from his mouth and occasionally Harry caught Draco looking at him like the blond didn't know who he was anymore. He lied just as easily that same night when Hermione went to bed and Harry stayed back in the common room to read. It probably helped that he only lied a little bit and that he did try to read but it was hard to completely focus with the constant noises and sounds. Then he heard the sound of the Weasley-twins and all attempts at reading was forgotten.

"Fred, George…" he called out the moment they appeared in sight.

"Harry Potter, have you…" They walked next to each other, both wearing almost identical smiles. But he could still see the difference and that they finished each other sentences didn't faze him one bit. Fred spoke first as he sat down on the couch not far from the chair with George on his left side.

"…been waiting for us?" George asked and finished the sentence.

Harry nodded and put the book on the table in front of him. "I have a hypothetical question. Say if a student didn't have permission to go to Hogsmeade but really needed to get there anyway. What would be the best way for that student to do that without being detected and given detention for the rest of their life?"

"Are you planning on breaking the rules again little Harry?" Fred asked but waited for no reply as he stood. "Well, you have come to the exactly right people. If you would be so kind to come with us so that we can show you exactly how you can get to Hogsmeade without being detected."

Harry laughed but followed the twins as they left the couch and, side by side, left the common room. Eventually they stopped in a room without any people in it and the twins turned around to look at him.

"So, what did you have to show me?" Harry asked with his arms crossed over his chest. George was the one to show him an old parchment. One that didn't look like much and Harry didn't know whether to laugh or to be angry. "How is an old parchment supposed to help me get to Hogsmeade undetected?"

"What stupid questions you ask." Fred said with a smirk and picked up his wand. "Watch and remember these very important words, Mr. Harry Potter. I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

Harry's eyes widened in size and his mouth dropped as ink appeared on the parchment. It said Marauders Map in big letters but the really impressive part was shown when Fred opened the map. Tiny feet, accompanied by names walked around. Harry could see that Hermione wasn't moving. On another part of the map he could see Draco being surrounded by Flint, Goyle and Crabbe. A sight that made him frown.

"This gives the word map a completely new meaning." Harry said with a laugh. "Is this really what is happening right now? Where did you find it?"

"We snatched it from Filch a few years ago." George nodded and looked at it with an awe-struck expression. "This map is the reason that we haven't been caught for everything we've done. We are in debt to the truly amazing gentlemen who invented it. It hurts to give you this beautiful piece of magic but you need it more than we do. We already know these secret tunnels like the back of our hands."

"Who invented it?" Harry asked as was handed the map. He looked at the people walking around with a smile on his face.

Dumbledore was pacing back and forth in his office. Harry couldn't help but wonder what was bothering him this late at night. Draco was still surrounded by the other Slytherin's. But the really shocking thing came when Harry turned back to look at the Gryffindor common room and saw a strange name next to Ron.

"You need to be more attentive." Fred commented with a chuckle and earned Harry's full attention. He coughed before speaking. "Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs is proud to present the Marauders map. You're lucky we gave you the password. These boys can throw some wicked insults to anyone who tries to crack the code."

"Padfoot?" Harry couldn't help but comment. The twins quizzingly looked at him.

"Do you know him?" George asked.

Harry shook his head. "I wouldn't say that I know him, no. I just remember the name from somewhere. I might have read about them. Hey, thank you very much for this, boys. And if you see Hermione tomorrow then please tell her that…"

"You have not spoken to us about getting to Hogsmeade even if you don't have a permission. You are probably in the library studying." Fred finished the sentence for him and winked. "We got you Harry."

Harry laughed. "Thanks, I really appreciate it."

"As you should. When you're done with it just tap it with your wand and say mischief managed otherwise anyone will be able to read it." George commented with a smirk. "We'll let you stay here and make yourself familiar with it. We need to get our beauty sleep…"

"Well, more like our pranking sleep. It's hard work putting out traps for other people to fall into." Fred added with a laugh. "Goodnight Harry and good luck tomorrow. Don't get caught and please don't get killed. Trelawny would be unbearable for the rest of the year if she was actually right about her predictions for once."

Harry laughed for a few moments before sitting down with his back against the wall. He gently touched the sides of the maps with his fingertips and couldn't help but feel in awe of the creation in front of him. The map in itself was amazing and even Harry admired the magic that it must have taken to create. But what amazed him even more was that Padfoot – Sirius – had created this map with three other people. Harry assumed James, Remus and Peter.

Harry frowned at the map until he saw the Gryffindor common room. Everyone appeared to have gone to bed, except for Harry, Dean Thomas was written on a bed with a pair of feet stomping next to it, Seamus Finnigan, Neville Longbottom and then Ronald Weasley looked the exact same way. What caught Harry's attention was a name that he knew was not supposed to be there. It was not supposed to be on the map at all.

"That's insane." He mumbled to himself and leaned his head onto the palm of his hand. "He's dead. The map must be broken. I should just stop thinking about it. He can't be alive. That's just impossible."

He whispered mischief managed and folded the map into its original position before putting it in his pocket. After mentally having repeated that the map was broken and Peter was dead a few times Harry almost believed himself.

But that didn't stop him from looking at the place next to Ron's bed where Peter Pettigrew was supposed to be. Harry laughed at the sight before him. It was Scabbers looking more tired now than ever because of Crookshanks seemingly endless desire to kill him. The conflict between the pets had created a conflict between the owners too but the owners didn't look nearly as exhausted as poor Scabbers.

Harry went to bed with a smile. The map was obviously broken.