The second Harry arrived back in the common room he immediately sought out Ron and Hermione. After telling them about Buckbeak's death sentence they both looked appalled.
"That is utterly barbaric! Killing an innocent creature because he defended himself against the likes of Draco Malfoy!" Hermione ranted. "Furthermore, the fact remains that Malfoy is absolutely fine. It was no more than a scratch and if I'm honest, I can't say that he didn't deserve it! Ugh, I will get on to preparing a defence for him first thing tomorrow morning. No, in fact I'll start tonight. Right after I've finished my muggle studies homework!"
Before she could get back to the mountains of work she had piled over several tables, Harry showed her and Ron the map.
"Crafty gits. I'm their brother, why didn't they give it to me?" Ron asked, sounding thoroughly betrayed.
"I guess they thought my need was greater than yours," Harry replied, smirking at the forsaken expression on his friend's face.
"I sincerely hope that you won't use that map to get into Hogsmead, Harry, you know the rules. Also, what with all this Sirius Black business it would be very stupid and reckless of you," Hermione argued, although she knew in the back of her mind that she was fighting a losing battle.
"You've got to be joking, Hermione," Ron began. "The dementors are everywhere and I seriously doubt that Black would try to snatch Harry in the middle of the village, in broad daylight!"
"Oh for goodness sake Ronald, how daft can you be? Sirius Black has slipped past the dementors more than once! What's to stop him from doing it again?"
"I know where you're coming from Hermione, but I'm sure that if I'm careful then I'll be-"
"No you won't be fine!" Hermione said sharply, interrupting Harry. "I forbid it! And if you had any self-respect then you'll hand that map in!"
"I'm not handing it in! The last time I checked there were not any rules about having a map of the school in your possession!"
"Fine then, keep it, but if I discover that you have been using that map to get out of school then I will hand it in myself, Harry," she said as she marched off to her work.
"Mate, you are going into Hogsmead aren't you? Don't worry about her, she'll come round. Come on Harry, It'll be great!" Ron said, excited at the prospect of having Harry join him and Hermione on their trips to the village.
"I'll think about it," Harry said simply, before trudging up to bed.
x-x-x-x-x-x-x
Much to Hermione's delight and much to Ron's disgust, Harry spent the rest of the week keeping his head down and working hard. He had not pushed the Hogsmead issue but was silently hoping that Hermione would come round before Saturday. His potions lessons were as miserable as ever. Professor Snape seemed to be making an extra special effort to make Harry's every waking moment an absolute nightmare. Professor Trelawney continued to predict his death, her eyes filling with tears whenever she looked at him, and Sir Cadogan, not satisfied with his post in the desolate corridor, had taken to running through other portraits challenging anyone he saw to a sword fight.
When Saturday arrived, Harry went down to the common room, only to find Ron and Hermione waiting for him. Whilst Ron looked triumphant, Hermione looked a little distressed.
"What's going on?" Harry asked.
"Hermione's agreed that you can come into Hogsmead, Harry, isn't it great? Ron replied, bursting with excitement.
Harry ran upstairs to get the map. When he came back down, he was confronted by Hermione.
"Okay Harry," Hermione began, "I will let you come on three conditions. Number one; you stay under the cloak, number two; you stick with us at all times, and number three; any sign of danger, you run back to school straight away."
"Alright, mum," Ron said sarcastically, as he ran through the portrait hole, "let's go!"
x-x-x-x-x-x-x
The trip into Hogsmead was eventful. Harry was rather upset actually. He couldn't help but overhear a conversation between Hagrid, Professor McGonagall and the Minister about Sirius Black. Harry had found out that Black had been his parents' friend and that he had betrayed them to the very person that set out to kill his parents twelve years ago. Voldemort. When he got back that evening, he was thoroughly exhausted, so he assured Ron and Hermione that he was fine before he headed up to bed. That night however, his dreams were not good. Harry woke up panicked in a cold sweat. He had dreamt of Voldemort again. After tossing and turning for a few hours, Harry turned over in bed and looked at his clock. It was five in the morning.
Quietly, so as not to disturb any of his dorm mates, he got up and walked down to the common room. The common room was deserted and still, apart from the fire that burned in the fireplace. He walked out through the portrait hole, waking the fat lady and causing her to mutter a few choice words under her breath at the disruption.
Harry needed to walk. When he had nightmares at the Dursleys like this he used to pace his room, but it was never enough. He needed a long walk and fresh air. Harry put his hands into his pockets as he was walking and was surprised to find the Marauders Map there. He carefully unfolded it, took out his wand, and spoke clearly, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." Ink suddenly bled onto the parchment, names suddenly appeared, and every corridor in the castle was suddenly visible.
He walked for a few minutes before he saw a name on the map that was heading his way. Peter Pettigrew. Harry gasped; Peter Pettigrew was the wizard that Sirius Black murdered. He had heard his teachers and the minister discussing him in Hogsmead. He held out his lit wand to look for Pettigrew; but there was no one there. Looking back at the map, Harry saw that Professor Snape was on his way down the corridor towards him. Passing Pettigrew's name on the map off as a glitch, Harry stopped the lumos spell, wiped the map, and turned to leave before Snape could catch him. No such luck. The next thing he knew, there was a lit wand in his face and the dungeon bat was standing tall in front of him.
"Potter," Snape spat, "what are you doing up at this hour?"
"I was …. Sleepwalking," Harry replied uncertainly, saying the first thing that came to mind.
"How Extraordinarily like your father you are Potter, he too was exceedingly arrogant. Strutting about the castle-"
"My dad didn't strut. And neither do I."
Snape gave a disdainful snort before gesturing to the parchment in Harry's hand. "What's that?"
"Spare bit of parchment," Harry answered, shrugging his shoulders for the effect and trying to look and sound as innocent as possible.
"Really?" Snape asked, not sounding convinced in the slightest. "Open it."
Harry, knowing that it wasn't a suggestion but a command, opened the parchment and held it out. He was fairly sure that Snape would not be able to see what the parchment could actually do but he was still more than a little anxious.
"Reveal your secrets!" Snape said, touching the wand to the parchment.
Nothing happened. Harry clenched his hands to stop them from shaking.
"Show yourself!" Snape said, tapping the map sharply.
It stayed blank. Harry was taking deep, calming breaths.
"Professor Severus Snape, master of this school, commands you to yield the information you conceal!" Snape said, hitting the map with his wand.
As though an invisible hand were writing upon it, words appeared on the smooth surface of the map.
"Mr. Moony presents his compliments to Professor Snape, and begs him to keep his abnormally large nose out of other people's business."
Snape froze. Harry stared, dumbstruck, at the message. But the map didn't stop there. More writing was appearing beneath the first.
"Mr. Prongs agrees with Mr. Moony and would like to add that Professor Snape is an ugly git."
It would have been very funny if the situation hadn't been so serious. And there was more ...
"Mr. Padfoot would like to register his astonishment that an idiot like that ever became a professor."
Harry closed his eyes in horror. When he'd opened them, the map had had its last word.
"Mr. Wormtail bids Professor Snape good day, and advises him to wash his hair."
Harry waited for the blow to fall. Snape looked murderous. "Why you insolent little-"
He was interrupted when a kind, gentle voice said, "Harry, are you alright?"