Chapter 25: Mischief Managed
The first memory attack happened during a Charms class and Harry just swayed and fainted dead away, he was rushed to the Infirmary and Madam Promphey was trying to rouse him when Severus came in under guise of bringing in supplies. Blaise had rushed down to inform him Harry had fainted since Draco and Theo were under watch all the time, Theo for having been Harry's closest friend in Slytherin and Draco for being his rival. Blaise was now the underdog in the Headmasters eyes and it was easy for him to get about.
Setting the box of potions down Severus walked over and asked, "What happened to the idiot boy this time?" after he was informed he had simply fainted he rolled his eyes, "Attention seeking brat," and he grabbed a headache potion and handed it to her, the coloring was spot on for the potion she would have given him for the impact, "Maybe the impact will have straightened out his brain," and he left the room.
Harry came out of it about an hour later and blinked at the Headmaster who was gazing down at him, "Hello sir," sitting up he was handed a potion and drank it without question.
"Harry you fainted in class today…is something the matter my boy?" Dumbledore asked wondering if he had to strength the locks on the teens mind even more.
"Well I haven't been sleeping the greatest, I probably just have been overdoing it," Harry said before asking, "Has Hermione been up recently…or Ron?" he added as an afterthought, to make it seem like he was trying to do as the twins and Bill had 'suggested' and be friends with Ron again as to make it seem like he was still there little golden boy.
"You've not been permitted to have visitors since we could find no cause for you to faint," The Headmaster said kindly patting his hand, "I'm sure they are worried, now if your certain it was just exhaustion I think we can let you go back to them…but do try and sleep more my dear boy."
"Of course Sir," Harry said smiling as he got up he grabbed up his bag and headed out he raced off, disappearing down a tunnel before the Headmaster could keep an eye on him. Sliding down he dropped out directly in front of the Potions classroom, he scared the hell out of Draco as he seemed to step out of the wall, "Hey Malfoy you seen Theo around?"
"He's inside," Draco said before asking, "How'd you do that?"
"Oh I'll show you inside," Harry said and dragged him in as well before seeing Theo and Blaise both getting an actual extra lesson, "Can you guys take a break?"
"Harry are you alright?' Theo asked getting a nod he saw the paper Harry always had with him and blinked, "What is that?"
"A parchment which insults people," Severus said remembering it.
"Not quite," Harry said before setting it down and sitting as they came to look at it, "This is one of my tools of success, as it was for the twins and my Father and his friends," getting Severus to curl his lip in a sneer he rolled his eyes, "Me showing you this personally will have him rolling over in the grave," that made the nasty comment die on his tongue before it had the chance to come out.
"Well what is it?" Draco asked sitting down as well excited as were the others.
"First everyone must swear never to let anyone else know about this parchment," Harry said seriously, getting them all to swear it he placed his wand to the paper and cleared his throat, "I solemnly swear I am up to no good," and he watched their expressions as the map began to take shape before them. Draco's eyes got huge, Blaise's jaw dropped, Theo blinked a couple times and Severus seemed dumbfounded, "This is the Marauders map, made by Messer's Moony, Padfoot, Wormtail and Prongs."
"Where did you get this?" Severus asked amazed as he saw the five of them standing in the room and marked by their names, "Who made it?"
"Well I just told you think about it," Harry said sitting back and crossing his arms waiting for the reactions he knew were coming.
"Moony is Remus," Theo pointed out smiling some, "Because he's a werewolf right?"
"Correct," Harry said smiling some.
"Wormtail is that Peter Pettigrew rat the Dark Lord has," Draco said in distaste.
"Also correct," Harry said before seeing Severus's eyes narrow at the map, "Professor?"
"Black helped make this?" Severus asked as he realized why Padfoot sounded familiar, it was that mans blasted nickname, "That ruddy mutt was Padfoot, I should have known."
"That leaves Prongs as your Father," Blaise said before frowning, "Why did he have that name?" the next thing he knew Harry was casting a Patronus, "Wicked stag."
"That's Prongs," Harry said as the stag butted his head fondly, "My Dad's animagus form was a stag, him Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew became illegal animagus to run with Remus during his transformations."
"And why did they make this map?" Severus asked trying to keep his tongue in check since he knew the Marauders were a sore subject with the teen since one had betrayed the others and now only one true member was alive.
"Mischief of course," Harry laughed before grinning at the three, "So what do you three think?"
"About what?" Theo asked before getting a grin from him.
"No, no, a million times no," Severus said shaking his head, "I cannot condone this."
"You'll allow us to run off and play house with a mass murderer but this you forbid?" Harry asked raising an eyebrow in perfect Malfoy fashion which made Draco smirk some.
"Yes it's crazy, you four could get seriously hurt and-" Severus started but stopped when Harry's eyes darted towards the map and the green eyed teen snagged the map, his back and dropped to roll into the Ingredients cabinet just as the Headmaster came in, "Hello Headmaster what brings you down to the Dungeons at this late hour?"
"Have you seen Harry today?" Dumbledore asked, he had searched the tower and the regular haunts, then on a whim decided to check the dungeons to make sure he was not down there getting into trouble.
"Potter yes he was in the Hospital wing, fainted," Severus said with a drawl, when he said faint Draco snickered and Theo and Blaise bit their lips to keep from laughing, "Why has he run off?"
"Yes Severus he's run off and I have no idea where he's hiding out," Dumbledore said before hearing a creek, going over he tapped the door which Harry had darted behind, "IS someone in there?"
"The Castle is old it's just the wood and stones settling," Severus said heart rate jumping when the old man opened the door, looking as well he saw nothing, "See told you."
"Hmm, alright if you see Harry let me know," Dumbledore said before leaving the room and the dungeons in general.
"Harry?" Theo hissed quietly at the room, "Where'd you go?" yet he squeaked as a shelf spun and Harry was standing in front of them, "What the…"
"The castle is full of hidey holes," Harry grinned before coughing some, "Never had to use that one before quite dusty."
"What creaked?" Severus asked since the shelf swinging had been soundless.
"I bumped a shelf," Harry said with a shrug of his shoulders, "Now back on topic about becoming animagus."
"I'm in," Theo said grinning brilliantly at his friend, "But what brought this on?"
"Well I remembered everything up until the Helios pecked you twice," Harry said chuckling some, "I can't believe I let R's own messenger decide what was best for me."
"Well nothing else worked, flipping a coin, guessing a number;" Theo muttered before turning to Draco and Blaise, "So want to become illegal animagus with Harry and me?"
"Of course," they said at the same time and all four laughed as Severus groaned.